Her Babies
by cokaserbia
Summary: The story of Tao and Takeo and their lives before and during their time at the Union. How they ended up in the mad hands of Dr Aris and how they became the members of the DA5.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 01. 

Author's notes part 01 – chapter 01

Hey, guys! Noblesse is a great series that did a lot of things right when it comes to comic books. There isn't a character I don't like in the story, but if I had to choose I'd say my favourites are Tao, Takeo and M-21. And while M-21 had that character growth and seems like he'll be in the centre of attention for a long time (with Muzaka and the werewolves' arc in action), Tao and Takeo had their moments and a bit of character development, but… something is just missing. If you think about it carefully we don't really know anything about those two. What was their life before and during the DA5, how long were they in the Union, how did they get there? M-21 is all about mystery which is necessary for his character. And even though it's a mystery we could still answer at least partially to any of the above questions.

Who are Tao and Takeo?

Maybe they don't wanna talk about it… sure, I can understand that. But why? That implies their pasts being either terrifying or forgotten somehow. Since we know the cruelty of M-21's life and the madness of Dr. Aris, I'd say it's a combination of both. And we also know how M-21's self-appreciation, trust in others and normal socializing skills are severally damaged. Hell, his lack of discernment of good and bad is astonishing (at least at the beginning when he thought it would be fun to play with Shinwoo and the gang). Tao and Takeo _sometimes_ show similar symptoms of a "brainwashed caged mouse". Their transition is far too quick in my eyes, especially in Tao's case. My dear child can laugh, make jokes and convince others to make fools of themselves even after all the shit he's been through. That's some serious coping mechanism right there.

Basically, this fic will be about DA5, Tao and Takeo in particular. I'll try to present to you some of the ideas I came up with while trying to figure them out. Hopefully, I won't go against canon too much. We weren't given that much information about them to begin with so I guess I won't gravely disrupt the story and the timeline.

Enjoy my friends, and of course leave some comments!

This is my first fic ever. English is not my first language so I apologies for any mistakes (you can point them out to me, I'll try to fix them).

I DON'T OWN NOBLESSE, just a few side characters and ideas I've stumbled upon while overthinking certain dialogs etc.

Oh, and yes, SPOILERS for the comic ahead. 

* * *

Was it love?

"Are you telling the truth?" He asked with that look in his dark eyes that made Takeo feel like he should drop dead right there. That cold stare was so rare on Tama-san's face Takeo got the impression he was the only one who could make him grimace like that. When Takeo was younger he would try to convince himself he should be proud of it… privileged even to be the sole reason of the man's discontent. Somebody cared enough about a stinky little brat like him to be disappointed. Except, he wasn't. Not once did he feel special.

And this was a fifth time he received such a deep stab to his lungs. You'd think he'd get used to it. This time, however, it hurt a hell of a lot more because there was no reason for Tama-san to be acting this way and any of Takeo's attempts to make this situation seem as a show of affection in disguise was forlorn. All the other times he was upset with Takeo, the kid really did make some stupid mistake.

Like that time he shoplifted because the other boys from his class had been stealing chocolate bars every day. Not only did they go unpunished, but they had also been praised by their seniors. He didn't really like sweets, it's not like he lacked any food while living under Tama-san's roof. It's just that… if he proved he could be courageous and cool like other boys, maybe they'd let him hang out with them. Perhaps they'd even introduce him to the older students and allow him to participate in their ball games. Sure enough, his classmates had been astonished by his sticky fingers and fast legs… only for a day. Their attitude didn't really change, except for the fact they were now eagerly expecting Takeo to bring them stuff from the store as some kind of entrance fee to the fields, which made him fidget in his seat. He knew he'd made a mistake. That made confrontation with Tama-san when he found out about the stealing even more embarrassing.

Or how about that other time he struck a girl from school because she was spreading horrible rumours about him and Tama-san that all the kids found funny. Takeo admitted he had behaved foolishly, even though he was convinced the girl got exactly what was coming to her. It was wrong to make girls cry and you were a weak person if crude jokes and empty words could make you forget who you were. At least, that's what Tama-san said. He didn't really get it, he did, however believe in it. He believed in anything Tama-san said. He accepted Tama-san's glares and scolding knowing it was justified, that it will make him a better person, a man Tama-san would love and respect.

This time, tough, he couldn't understand why what he'd said was wrong. Was he telling the truth, Tama-san had asked him? He shouldn't have even been considering the opposite. Takeo was not a liar, he didn't lie, never, especially not to Tama-san. He'd rather cut his tongue off and he was sure Tama-san knew this so his answer was as unnecessary as the question.

"Yes." He _did_ answer in the end and immediately regretted it. He wanted this simple word to sound stronger, angrier, because he sure was angry with that man. Instead, it was barely audible. He wanted to say it again like a man, not like some guilty child, but before he could even open his mouth, Tama-san slapped him.

Now that was new. To say it was shocking would be an understatement. That… Takeo wasn't sure he knew a word for the feeling he was struck with.

"I should fucking kill you right now." Tama-san said and Takeo almost laughed because death would be really good at this moment if it's gonna stop Tama-san from hitting him again.

"Tama-sama." Arata-san who had kept silent till now pushed the enraged man a little to the side. Tama-sama had lost control, it was obvious to his associate. Arata-san knew his boss very well, which didn't come as a surprise since he's been with him for more than twenty years now. Being high school friends, there wasn't a thing they didn't know about each other. Tama-sama was an expert in keeping his emotions in check even when he was at his limits. There weren't many buttons you could push on this man to begin with. Nevertheless, Arata-san knew exactly what they were. This little breakdown wasn't something Arata-san didn't expect given the circumstances, but… It was Takeo. They were talking about Takeo here, _Tama-sama's_ Takeo.

"You think you have the right to make such decisions? Little brats go to school!" He was ready to slap him once more.

"Tama-sama!" Arata-san hardened his grip on the boss's hand. That calmed the man for a moment. Usually, this manner of restraint wouldn't work. The boss's word was absolute, no matter how deep the mutual trust between him and his subordinates went. Manhandling the boss of the Yakuza was not a smart move.

This time though, it wasn't just because Arata-san thought Takeo didn't deserve such a punishment. Tama-sama's health was in jeopardy. A month ago they had gotten involved in a minor shooting incident downtown which, to everyone's surprise, had resulted in Tama-sama being severely injured. They had almost failed in saving him from the crushed car before the police had arrived to the scene of the crime and uproar. Arata-san had been completely stunned when their doctors announced Tama-sama's right hand needed to be removed.

Naturally, he was in no condition to be in this kind of stress so soon after the accident. Hell, he shouldn't have even been out of bed yet, but that was Tama-sama for you, stubborn to the bone, which was one of, if not the _only_ character trait that had kept him alive. For the last few days, he had been constantly fussing and padding along the corridors of the secured, private hospital as if his branch would fall apart if he wasn't there personally to deal with all the clients. His subordinates were more than capable to handle the job. They were loyal to Tama-sama, which made older bosses in town a bit jealous and vary. Over the years Tama-sama had become dangerous competition in the region. No wonder some of the small fry had decided to off him. It was a miracle they had managed to actually get so close to succeeding. Arata-san was furious that he hadn't seen it coming. Most of the "brothers" who were on top and close to Tama-sama were friends from high school. He highly doubted one of them would betray Tama-sama. If it turned out to be the case somehow, Arata-san would personally tie the bugger to a sack of sand and toss him into a river.

Right now, however, he was more worried than mad. As if this discussion couldn't wait a couple of days more. Was it that important? The stupid child was just overreacting. The memory of how Takeo had blanched at the sight of the amputated limb was carved deeply into his mind. Well, maybe he _wasn't_ overreacting. But what happened to the mob boss really wasn't his goddamn business. You reap what you sow, Arata-san mentally blamed his friend. Just a day ago he told him for the umpteenth time to cut the ties with the brat. Did he listen? Taking in a runaway orphan, giving him shelter, food and clothes and education. Letting him hang out at their club with his underlings. He was already marked as a protégé of a Yakuza boss, all of town knew it. Heck, even other branches of the mob knew about a certain pet of Tama-sama. Takeo had never liked school. Being isolated and rejected by not only his peers but his teachers too, didn't help in the matter. What had Tama-sama expected? Takeo to finish school, enroll into college and lead a normal life? Tough luck. Even if all of the mentioned was not a problem, one fact still remained. Tama-sama was family to Takeo.

Of course the kid wanted to become a Yakuza, of course he wanted to stay by your side and protect you. Your little Takeo wanted to take the gun and kill all those bastards that ambushed us. He wanted to be just like you, Tama-sama. Why so surprised?

"I turn eighteen in two months." Takeo's voice didn't sound as convincing as it was at the beginning of this fierce exchange when he proudly announced he was done with school, that he was a Yakuza now. It seemed like that slap had shaken him pretty hard.

"That's still a brat in my book, you little shit!" Tama-san snarled at him.

"I'm no good at school." Now it sounded like begging.

"You think I don't know that? How many times has Arata explained math to you and you still fail every test?" He scowled at him. "Sorry, but I don't need stupid kids who can't count money!"

That was mean. And necessary.

"I'll be your bullet then. You don't need brains to shoot."

Of all the buttons to push. If it was easy to stop Tama-sama the first time, now it was almost impossible. Thank God, the boss was already getting weak, otherwise, Arata-san would have had to stand there and watch Takeo getting kicked in the guts. Despite the fact that his strength was leaving him, Tama-sama wouldn't go down without a fight. He resisted the grip as a Yakuza boss should, even at his weakest. He managed to pull on Takeo's hair and hit him roughly on the head, before Arata-san ordered the boy to back off.

It was a strange expression Takeo had on his pale face while he watched Tama-sama scream and swear. If Arata-san didn't know better he would have thought the kid was seconds away from tears. Mind you, the boss had never been so _furious_ with him before, not to mention violent. He had never raised his hand to the boy. It was his principle not to, if there were anything like _principles_ in their particular world.

Takeo had been hurt enough. He had never talked about it willingly. The boss was the only one who could make him open up when he needed to. His tactic was childish goading, but it did the trick. Takeo was not a real orphan. His mother had left the family when he had been young… well, younger. His father was not the greatest man. No. He was a bad man. The one that liked to drink and kick. The story you hear oh so many times.

He had been taken by child services fairly young, however, Takeo hadn't liked the place that sheltered other children, scared and broken like him. Because, actually, they weren't like him. He still _had_ his mother. He just had to go to her. The people at the institute didn't let him. Takeo started to hate that place even more. He was a special kind of stupid. Couldn't solve the simple equation even if his life depended on it. He could, however, steal his file with his mother's information in it. He could take some money from a locked principal's office at the orphanage and he could jump over the wall and disappear into the night.

God knows how he managed to find his mother's new address without getting caught by the police the principal had called. Takeo had believed those people from the orphanage had taken his family away from him. He just knew they didn't even tell his mother that father was not a threat anymore, that she can come back and be with him, that he was waiting for her and loved her still. Takeo was sure that if she knew he was alone, she would come home to him running, just like he was running that winter night. Running so fast, because his mother was lonely. He was certain of it even when he reached the nicely decorated house in a rich neighbourhood. His mother wanted him, that was an indisputable truth, even though she looked very happy smiling with the unknown man and a baby in his arms. She must have missed him… even if she was dancing in front of a Christmas tree in the cosy living room. She thought about him… even if she didn't see him outside the misted window. She needed him… even if she didn't.

That had been the worst night in his life. He stood there in the stylishly decorated street looking dejected, his mind befogged while other children hurried to their homes for the family dinner, the scent of which filled the chilly air. That time, eight years ago, he had walked the streets for days and when it had gotten too cold to be outside, he'd slept in dumpsters. The monotony of his new life had been tiring and he had always been hungry. Starving. The thought of eating leftovers from the garbage made him feel pathetic, more than being hit with a belt. His dad threatening to sell him to a whore house he frequented had left a bitter taste in his mouth. If scavenging for food like a rat would make him feel even more worthless than he already felt, he was ready to simply starve to death. He thought about returning to the orphanage, but couldn't make himself go back. It was impossible to imagine himself being there, being the part of the charades and lies. Looking at those faces, listening to those voices. Like his own. No, _his_ was now sadder than any of the abandoned children's. It was devastating. Unnerving. It made him hate them all.

Then a man picked him up and soon he forgot about the decorated house with the big shining tree.

Indeed, _that_ had been a horrible night. The worst, tough? The sorrow he experienced tonight, stepping away from Tama-san in a dimly illuminated alley behind the private hospital was overwhelming. He wasn't sure he would be able to _ever_ forget it.

"You lost some men. I'm a good shooter." Damn it, this was getting difficult. But Takeo never lied, and everyone knew he had a knack for shooting.

Tama-sama must be cursing the day he allowed the brat to play with a gun. Arata-san remembered how hard… or in this case how impossible it was to say no to a child's curiosity and pure… so much pure worship in its eyes that it was blinding. There was nothing dignifying in shooting a gun, both Tama-sama and Arata-san knew it.

Tama-sama had never wanted this life. He was an illegitimate son of a Yakuza boss so the group hadn't bothered him much about protocol and the way of business. Nevertheless, he had been expected to help the family somehow. The mob was always watching him, taking care of him, preparing him for the future and making sure other groups don't use him against their boss or worse, give him ideas how he should be the next one in line to succeed the family. No worries there, if he could choose, Tama-sama would flat out refuse to have anything to do with the mafia. Unfortunately, that was not an option. It had been decided that he would open a shop and they would use it for trafficking goods. Tama-sama could live with that. There were worse things than that, he was grateful. During high school, the boss lost his legitimate heir in one of the skirmishes and everything fell on Tama-sama's shoulders. Arata-san remembered how he had found his friend one day on the roof of their school. The drunken idiot had thought he could fly. At that moment, Arata-san knew what his destiny was. Making sure his best friend stayed firmly on the ground with his head held high.

So, unlike every other parent, when Takeo was so impressed by his cool "dad", there was no joy in Tama-sama's eyes, but fear. Arata-san knew that was _the_ moment to send the kid away. He also knew Tama-sama wouldn't be able to do it. Just like he was unable to say _no_.

"Y-You need more gunmen."

"Over my dead body." Tama-sama must have realised shouting wasn't giving the wanted effect. His voice was ice. The kind that stabbed Takeo's gut.

"B-but… but, wh-"

"You're no good to me, brat."

"But I never miss!" Desperation hit Takeo like a cold bucket of water. It was obvious he was going to lose this fight.

"You don't have what it takes." And that was all the boss was gonna say about it.

What does that even mean, Takeo thought. What the hell does that mean? Sure, he was dumb, he was barely gonna finish high school. He still had trouble remembering all the rules of the mafia world and he couldn't read a word of English. He was good with the gun, tough. Very good! He was skilled in karate and judo and he was tall! Taller than an average Japanese man. That counted for something, right? He could be the muscle. He could be a sniper! You need those things! More than damn maths, right? Don't you need that? Don't you need me? I need you to stay alive, so why don't you need my gun? Isn't it normal that I need you?

"Go to the safe house." Tama-san ordered him. "And go to school tomorrow. Arata will take you."

So, why don't you need me?

"Takeo!" The boy heard Tama-san call, but he didn't wanna turn around and see his face.

"You go straight home, you hear me?" The boss said with a strict tone. "And don't you dare skip tomorrow. I'll kick your ass!"

Takeo was leaving, alright, not for the safe house, tough. That hadn't been his home in the first place. Not after he finished school and that would happen in a couple of months. He was not college material, but that wasn't the problem here. Tama-san had money so he would send him somewhere whether Takeo passed the entrance exams or not. Takeo had a feeling that _somewhere_ would be really far away. And even if Takeo managed to someway persuade the man into giving up on him and his career of an ordinary salaryman, the boss would most certainly find Takeo some boring job outside of town, practically forcing the boy to move out. Takeo could almost hear the man's words in his head. _You want to be an adult so much, right? Try living on your own and earning for your meals, you shitty brat._ Takeo wouldn't mind such an outcome if that wouldn't mean that he would never see _him_ again. Takeo was stupid for science, but he was no fool.

That was why it was so important for him to become a little "brother". A real _official_ one. To be a part of the family, to stay. Forever. It was the right moment for it too. Tama-san was hurt. He'd lost his arm for god's sake. The boss was a strong, respectful, and a wise man. Now, however, he was vulnerable more than ever. Why couldn't he see that Takeo wished to make it easier for him? It wasn't pity. Takeo had never once thought that Tama-san would turn into a weakling just because he was a bit tired. He had no doubt that Tama-san would be just as dangerous and cool as he was when he could shoot with his right hand, as well. It's just that, Tama-san could relax if there was someone trustworthy to watch his back. He could take it easy and concentrate on getting healthy again. Takeo was more than willing to become the man's right arm. He believed that was the only course of action anyway. All of his training and hard work went into it. Of course, he had never imagined that it could happen like this. But this misfortune had made it even clearer to Takeo that he should take half of the burden now. It was so obvious, so why was everybody against the idea? He knew Tama-san could be annoyingly stubborn sometimes, but Arata-san was the smartest man on the planet and not even he thought Takeo's proposition held any value.

And that's why everything hurt. When you think about it carefully, the bottom line was…

Tama-san didn't want a brother.

Perhaps he thought Takeo would become a liability when it came to dealing with other branches. What if they tried to use him against Tama-san? No way, Takeo wouldn't allow that. Then… what if Tama-san believed Takeo would one day betray him and stab him in the back? If that was the case Takeo would be pissed beyond reckoning. No. No, it can't be that that's it. Never. So… so maybe… just maybe, he misunderstood. Perhaps there was a different angle he had yet to see this situation from.

Maybe he should be pleased because Tama-san wanted to spare him the life of such uncertainty. Takeo was not scared, however, maybe he was really stupid to see the bigger picture. He kinda knew that being a Yakuza was not necessarily an honest job. Tama-san and his people were not evil in Takeo's eyes. Neither they were good. They didn't give him much opportunity to see their _work_ and judge, but Takeo knew that they did bad things to bad _and_ good people. He was ready to live with that guilt, because they were his family that he loved. And they loved him.

On the other hand what if Tama-san was the one who was scared? Scared that he would lose Takeo in some gunfight. That wasn't possible, Takeo was skilled enough. What if Tama-san thought he would soon die in some gang war? He had almost died this time, but Takeo hadn't been there to protect him. If he had been… What if Tama-san thought that he would die either way? Was the boss afraid that Takeo would blame himself for his death? That was complete and utter rubbish. Takeo would gladly give up his life for that man's. Tama-san would never die if Takeo was by his side.

Nothing made sense no matter how much he tried to dig up the hidden meaning to Tama-san's refusal. There must be something, right? He must still care about him a little. Takeo was not mistaken, Tama-san _did_ care about him to some reasonable extent to be able to stand such a messed up child for all these years, so he had to care now too. There's no way he'd change his mind all of a sudden. Takeo didn't do anything to make Tama-san hate him. Then again… he couldn't remember doing anything wrong to his mother either.

That wasn't the same, it couldn't be. Even when he hit him, it didn't sting like it did when his father became strange. It… stung… differently. Tama-san loved him… even though he wouldn't try to get him back if the boy decided to wander off somewhere.

Takeo was standing in the dark, empty street. He hid his long fingers in the pockets of Tama-san's old jacket. Others told him to get a new one. He liked this one, it was still warm, just like that night the bosshad wrapped up the starving boy with it.

Was it love?

The street was long and damp. It got colder.

How the hell should he know? 

* * *

Author's notes part 02 – chapter 01

Yey, first chapter is done.

Takeo is a man of few words, he shows patience, loyalty and naiveté. He has a conscience – something he should as a weapon and an experiment lack. And he had it for a long time it seems, dare I say… from the beginning? You could say that's because he's a big brother ( _He's noooot_ – I whisper, spoiler stars sparkling in my eyes). But, yeah, him actually being a good, considerate human deep down, makes him a risk to the Union cause.

Was it really just fun for Dr Aris to pretend to be his little sister? Why did Takeo believe it so easily? I have a feeling Shark wouldn't be so sentimental towards his siblings.

See you next time.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 02.

Author's notes part 01 – chapter 02

First I thought I'd post this without any warnings, buuuut, then I changed my mind.

Ok, so, there will be some mature themes here _and_ some really _fucked up_ stuff that I just have to include in the story if I want to write about the Union. Nothing _too_ explicit, tough. This is a warning for the _whole_ fic, _not_ just _this_ chapter, you might find some stuff here triggering… or you might not.

Concerning this particular chapter, the beginning of it is a bit confusing… which is a point, so please bear with it, everything will make sense later on.

* * *

There was a sound. Beeping. It was getting… not necessarily closer, but clearer. After some time… time? What time was it anyway - it beeped louder. For some reason that made him mentally flinch. Time… was that a clock? It didn't sound like a clock. The intervals between two ticks became shorter. What was that? Where was it coming from? He listened carefully and realised it was unusually hard for him to focus. His thoughts were too loud in his head. They were all rushing at him at the same time, his inner voices talking all together at once. Soon he was unable to understand what they were saying. His thoughts would scatter and leave him without permission. When that happened… wait… how many times had that happened…? Had that happened before? When his thoughts settled somewhere he couldn't find them, it would become eerily quiet in his mind… and he'd forget what all the fuss had been about in the first place.

First… second. Beeping. What was that sound? Was that a clock? No, wait… Just listen, _listen_! What _was_ that? He ordered himself, not so calmly, even though the other voice in his head was relentlessly repeating not to panic. Was he panicking? It was just a beep… a machine of some sort… yeah, one of the games he played on his computer was warning him that time for finishing the level is almost up. Time… What time was - it was beeping annoyingly quickly now. What was that, he screamed because all the other voices were getting ridiculously loud. _A timer_ , whispered one, _a bomb_ shouted the other, _a_... said the third becoming an echo to other explanations bursting from the dark pit beneath - wait what? I didn't catch that. The voices started to repeat themselves concealing the weak echo in the heap of incomprehensible hubbub. Soon enough, he couldn't recognise the far away noise… or any of the words popping up somewhere deep in the bottomless pit. Suddenly, there was nothing to recognise. That whole dark space was empty and silent. He thanked the Lord for this moment of peace. He was very tired… but didn't know why he wanted to rest. It was strange not to wonder, he, however, didn't care. It was so nice that _here_ was quiet.

There was that sound again. Beeping.

Again… Again? Had I heard this before? Or… thought this before? What was it? Where was it coming from? He looked into the dark and couldn't see anything. There was no clock on the wall, no machine… There was no wall, someone whispered into his ear. Someone else said it was a bomb. Yeah… he had to disarm the bomb on this level and the timer was… Why was there no wall? So it wasn't a pit gaping at him… it was… flat. A floor? A wall… a room? We deduced there was no wall, because there was no clock, the voice urged him to pay attention. Why is it so dark then? Wasn't he in his room trying to set the new record in the game?

It scared him.

The beeping in the dark.

Where am I? Why is it so dark? He thought he should turn on the light, but nothing happened. He wasn't sure if it was because he'd tried and failed or because he hadn't done anything. Had he even moved? His mind was reassuring him that he had. His gut was telling him otherwise. He tried to move again, and again. And again… was he moving? Being exhausted must have meant that he was. For a long time. What a vast room… was it his? He wanted to continue walking, but it was dark and there was no way of knowing where he was headed. So he stopped… thinking… and forgot what he was doing. He just knew he had to do something. Do something about what?

The beeping. It seemed familiar. That sound… was it a bell? Was it ringing? Between the beeping ticks he heard someone telling him to open… something. Open. What, the door? Someone was ringing the bell. Was there a door here? There wasn't even a wall. Why was there no wall? The strong scream in his ear jerked him so suddenly he couldn't even protest.

Open your eyes!

The whiteness was so bright he thought he'd pass out. In the back of his mind, some of the voices concluded losing consciousness wouldn't be so bad. He was already lying down, so there was no threat of further injuries. Some of the others agreed. They were tired and all that white was getting in the way of needed rest. He wanted to ask them why were they so keen on sleeping. The pain in his eyes answered in their stead. He gave his best trying to focus his weary gaze on something. There was just… too much white and nothing else. He was about to give up, when he heard the beeping. Where was it coming from? He felt relieved when the beeping slowed down. It was now easier to concentrate. It was as if the sound wanted to be found.

After some time… time, oh right, what was the time? After some time, he realised he was looking at the machine. It was showing numbers. He was so sure it was a digital clock at first. The numbers didn't change like they were supposed to, tough. He believed that was his fault somehow. He had this nauseating feeling there was something wrong with him. He feared his thought process wasn't working correctly which was absolutely horrible news considering he always deemed himself to be clever and logical and easy to adapt to an unknown environment. Now, however, he was having trouble connecting the things he was seeing in his brain. So it wasn't shocking to figure out that the machine was showing something beside the numbers. Those lines were always there he just hadn't noticed them before.

Finally, his mind relaxed for a bit. It was a heart monitor. The puzzle was solved. He reckoned he deserved some sleep now. He couldn't even remember the last time he had closed his eyes. The last couple of days had been so hectic for him. He had never had to deal with such a fine firewall. Those jerks, he wandered off not realising there was a person in front of him. Even though the person's hair was such a vivid red… how it strongly contrasted all the white… Even though the person turned to him, he still didn't think that was a good enough reason to stay awake.

Wake up, Tao!

He winced. That was a direct order. To Tao, to him. He was Tao, right, he _remembered_. And he was not feeling very well. That could explain the heart monitor.

That explained nothing at all.

There was more than one person in front of him now. Doctors? They looked the part. Was he in the hospital? He couldn't recall going to one. He could recall very little, actually. People in the white lab coats were talking about something. They were checking charts and machines. Were they aware that he was awake? The redhead seemed to be staring at him. She wasn't saying anything, tough. He heard himself saying, _you might be on an operating table_. That was a good enough guess for him. I'm about to be operated on. I shouldn't be awake. Oh, well… he closed his eyes again.

No. Wait. What? Hospital? Operation? I'm not sick. Don't be ridiculous. I'm not supposed to be here. Why am I here? Did something happen to me and I just can't remember? Is it that serious? Was I in an accident of some sort? Where are my parents? Did they allow this? What are all these doctors going to do? What's the procedure? What's my diagnosis? What happened to me?

The beeping was so quick and clear to him now it was almost as if it was a part of him. He was feeling hot and sick. He wanted to throw up. The redhead blurred in front of him and he screamed, _no_. He had to stay awake. He had to know what's going on. He was at home. He was about to go outside. Yeah, he found a new lead that night and had to check it out. He opened the door and there was an unfamiliar man there. A strange one, a foreigner. He… what had he done?

"Ha… the drug is wearing off. No wonder your heart is jumping up and down like crazy."

That was the readhead speaking. Probably. He wasn't sure because of the masks they wore on their faces. What she said was not in Chinese. It was English. He understood English, he couldn't put those words into any context, tough. He wanted to ask her to repeat them, he wanted to ask her a lot of things.

"Don't waste time, little one. You won't be able to speak anyway." She said in a cute voice.

What does that mean?

"Dr Aris, whenever you're ready."

"Oh, we'll start soon. I just want to see the effects of the new drug. This is the first time we used it on a regular human." She was looking at some stats. "This is meant to be used on agents during interrogation. It scrambles their minds and acts like a truth serum in reaction to their enhanced brain tissue, it's easy to manipulate and reprogram them while intoxicated. Hm… looks like the drug is most useful… but… It seems it has almost a devastating effect on an ordinary human. Ah… is it because there are no modified cells in the organism on which the drug would stick itself? Interesting…"

She was rambling. There were too many unknown… complicated words for Tao to understand her. On the other hand her eyes were easy to interpret. With no effort at all her guileless face closed up. All of a sudden her eyes had a gleam of childish excitement - which set off every single alarm in Tao's mind. The way the following words flew from her lips like a whip slashing through thin air scared the shit out of him. "Curse those elder pigs for fucking with the brain of my baby. I told those pigs he was on my souvenir list. On my _special_ souvenir list, first on it too. If they turned his precious little brain into pudding I'll flip."

She turned to a man in the back of the room. Tao couldn't see him well from the table. His attempt to lift his head was futile. He couldn't even feel his neck, let alone move it. Then he realised he couldn't feel his body either.

"You make sure you tell them, Yuri. Make sure you pass my every word on to them. Those fucking pigs." She finished, almost spitting.

"But of course, doctor." That man smiled. "They've already apologised."

"Apologised my ass." If Tao could flinch he would have. That woman patted him gently on the head out of the blue. "Just look at his condition. I'm all for experimenting, but do it on a low class material. This is all just to slow down my work. Of course they mess with my babies. God forbid they try something similar on the subjects of that bastard Crombel. He has, like, hundreds of them, but no, they're not gonna mess with him. That _pig_."

"It wasn't their intention to spite you, doctor. These were exigent circumstances." He was pretty convincing even with that fake smile on his flat face. "The kid hacked into our system. You can understand their worry."

"You mean to say they were scared shitless." She smiled to Tao. He saw hunger in those yellow eyes of hers. She was starving and he was her meal. He could almost see her sharp little teeth, behind her mask, distorted into a smug grin. She tugged on his black hair. "My baby is so competent. Sixteen years old and already so smart and pretty."

She turned to Yuri again, this time with a frown. It was astounding how quickly her emotions changed. And even more so, that she openly wore them on her face. "They drugged him and still couldn't get anything."

"Well… he's completely useless in this state."

"Well, of course he is. They should have asked _me_ for help. _I_ would have made him talk in two seconds."

"It wasn't really about the info he got from the Union database. It was all low level information." Yuri said calmly. "It had more to do with the fact that some kid found our network database and managed to get inside. Elders wanted to know how he did it. Just one brat is nothing to be concerned about. Imagine, however, if a rival organisation or someone of similar intentions hacked us, or worse destroyed our centuries of worth experimenting data."

The woman contemplated this for a minute. She left the charts on the table and picked up a syringe. The machine beeped. Numbers started to dance.

"Easy." It sounded almost kind when she said it. She caressed Tao's cold, wet cheek and the boy noticed for the first time there was a bulky breathing device inserted deep into his mouth. No wonder he couldn't make a sound. "This here will help you relax. You're tired, aren't you? Krantz and Yuri scared you quite a bit."

The woman waved steadily with a syringe as if she knew Tao wouldn't be able to register it if she didn't do it slowly enough. "I knew you were smart, but that was a bold move. Didn't think you had it in you. What were you doing in our database, Tao?"

He was absolutely terrified of this woman. The way she said his name… A cute, sweet poison. The worst of it all was – he had no clue what was going on. Where the hell was he? What were they talking about? Where were his parents? They had been at the flat with him when he opened the door. There had been a man at the door. Blond hair, and it wasn't dyed. A foreigner. He'd given his greetings in English and then… it was so hard to remember. It hurt his head. He wanted to scream. That tube in his mouth didn't let him.

"He was looking for data about the last shipment of meat we acquired in Beijing." That was Yuri talking again. With most of his features hidden in the shadows from large orbs shining on the ceiling, the man looked inscrutable. For some reason, however, his manner of slow speech… the way he bore himself… it was all so very deja vu to Tao. The boy's head started to spin when he tried to connect the two dots he'd managed to find in the depths of the thick fog that was his memory. The lights from the dots flickered and then slipped right through his fingers, getting lost in the pit. He mentally sighed in desperation feeling rather upset now. And very… _very_ frightened. Things were getting out of hand.

"After all this mess, I checked the list of collected meat and files that had been breached. It seems one of the subjects in that shipment was a girl from his class." Yuri continued as if he didn't notice Tao's inner squirming.

"Are those the ones they've been taking for the new project elders have been talking about?" She was still looking at Tao with those voracious eyes.

"Yes, doctor. The shipment was sent two weeks ago. Somehow, this kid sniffed us out."

"Aw… young love is it? Did you plan to hit that, Tao? Don't expect to see her again. It's been two weeks, I'd be surprised if there was anything left of her. That project's gonna fail. Even that bastard Crombel agrees with me on that." She checked the needle. "You should have found another chick to bang. Well, I don't really mind. I was planning to get Yuri to pick you up in two years, anyway. I guess I can only be happy we met earlier on." She was still talking. It was starting to really hurt his head. All that racket. Machines, voices, those two talking in a foreign language. He was starting to lose focus. "What's annoying is that you're still growing. Working on teens is so tiresome. So much work just to make them stable. I'll have to be extra careful."

Despite not being able to feel his body, he was certain he was shaking violently when she thrust in the needle. Since he couldn't see what she was doing, he hoped he'll at least feel it. He was beginning to worry the reason he didn't feel his body was because he didn't have it anymore.

It sounded weird to say that _unfortunately_ nothing hurt, when pain is a bad thing and nobody should wish for it. Tao honestly wanted to feel the stab of a sharp tip on his skin. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing. He couldn't breathe. He might have choked if that thing in his mouth wasn't breathing for him. They were talking about drugs. Ok. So he was drugged. What the hell? What kind of a drug was this? He was basically dead. Was it a sedative? That makes sense if he was on an operating table.

And then his stomach did a backflip.

He was on an operating table.

He can't speak, he can't move, he can barely think and that woman has just injected something into his body. Are they gonna operate on him? Why? Was there something wrong with him? You operate when there's something wrong, right? That woman caught his hair in a fist. She made him move his head. It felt so good to be released from the numbness even if it was for a mere second. He wanted to cry.

"I'll have to change my plans now, all because you couldn't keep it in your pants." It was as if she wanted to burn him just by glaring at him. "Using your precious little hands and brain for someone else, I won't stand for that. You're mine."

And just like that her mood changed again.

"You may proceed. He'll be out in a minute." She said delightedly.

What the hell did she say? She moved from his view. There were six people in the white now. Talking, touching him, and taking out scalpels and other equipment Tao didn't recognise. What… what are they doing? Stop! Stop it right now! Don't touch me, you crazy bastards! One of the surgeons put down the scalpel. There were drops of blood dripping of it. What? When did that happen? Did he cut me? Is that mine? Is that _my_ blood? He was tossing and resisting. Only in his mind, tough. The body was out of commission.

He had no idea how long he was screaming until he realised there was something dark in the corner of his eye. The feeling of it was fuzzy, but familiar. It brought peace and quiet. Perfect for the rest he longed for. The dark was closer now, it wrapped itself around him. Ah… that warm feeling of deep slumber. Steady breaths in the black told him everything would be alright. Tao believed without a second thought. Something that felt this good couldn't be wrong.

It was silent for so long Tao thought he had imagined a strange yelp. He saw every possible shade of grey. The waves of grey were interrupted by movement. Something was going back and forward. Holding something limp. There was a sound that jarred on his ears. Like a knife. No. A saw. Something hissed. He felt a tremor. And cracking. So loud in his mind, something was cracking. It broke. He heard a whimper. A man put something on a red dish right next to a thing that looked... is that how it's supposed to look? As if he saw that somewhere before. Not quite the same. What was that? That whimper, too? What was it, where's it coming from? It wasn't stopping and that was upsetting Tao.

A person with red on his face picked up one of the things from the dish. He was inspecting it with great care.

"Hm… clean cut." Dr Aris uttered satisfied. "Freeze this, I might have to use the tissue later." She moved faster causing Tao's vision to blur. "Those pigs. Their drug is affecting the sedative. I'll kill them all."

"Now, now, Dr Aris…"

"Yes, yes, I know."

The person was talking gibberish. That wasn't Chinese. What the hell was it?

What the hell was in the _dish_?

He was seeing grey again. The redhead moved closer to him causing the whimper to grow louder. At that exact moment he knew something was terribly wrong with the red haired woman. His mind twitched.

"Aw… don't worry, little baby, everything's under control. Dr Aris will make you brand new better ones..."

Those whimpers were coming from him. It was so obvious he wondered why he hadn't caught on sooner. He was crying, he knew it, even though he didn't feel tears on his cheeks. He was crying… just like a little baby.

Tao was staring at the dish. Fresh blood was dripping on the floor. Two pieces of meat lay there limp, dead like he was. Two identical pieces. His arms.

They'd taken his arms.

* * *

Author's notes part 02 – chapter 02

First, let's talk about Tao being Chinese. Tao is a Chinese name and there was a moment in the comic when Takeo (I think) stated that he and Tao are of different nationalities. Since Takeo is a Japanese name, and since in almost every fic I read people see Takeo as a Japanese, I decided Tao was Chinese.

And now the main "event".

" _That kind of modification wasn't made so that humans would gain power instead humans were used to create a machine."_ said Frankenstein while fighting Dr Aris' guards with one year life span. They were huge, obedient and they obviously had their human features tempered with. They were most certainly ugly by Dr Aris' standards so it's not surprising she didn't really care about them. Those two were "robots" that could use tentacles/wires that were implanted in their bodies as weapons. Now, who else can use wires as a weapon? Tao. As Frankenstein mentions it was Tao who gave him some information about such creatures and Dr Aris' research. It was also Tao that explained to children in the aftermath of the fight with the DA5 _"… you can call me a modified human. Possibly a robot that was created to serve a purpose? Hahaha…"_ Dr Aris and Dr Crombel use different methods. With Crombel there is physical transformation. Depending on the looks of the source Dr Aris decides whether to keep the physical appearances of her test subjects or not. She enhances their innate abilities and maybe create new ones if there is potential. Dr Aris relies heavily on modern weapons and technology (She has a nano suit ( _that also has electric wires coming out of it_ – I whisper with a grin), Hammer uses bombs, Takeo uses guns, Shark uses knifes – all pretty normal and straightforward – Krantz… we don't really know and then there's Tao. The questions are: Where do those wires come from? How can he absorb and use electricity from different sources? (He even destroyed his and Takeo's mobile phones with electricity coming out of his fingertips while running away from Yuri)) Well, there's my two cents concerning those questions.

See you next time!


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Author's notes part 1 – chapter 3

Hi, guys, sorry for skipping august, I had trouble finding a beta reader for my fic. Finally, I've found a great one and I'm so excited to work with her. **KraljicaZla** is fantastic at what she does and I'm really lucky to have met her.

Your feedback is also important so feel free to leave a comment.

Enjoy!

* * *

Not fully awake, yet not really sleeping, he wasn't sure how long he was in that tiring state of floating. Reality and dreams collided and left a huge black hole in his mind. He was trying to assemble all of his memories. Some of them were still blurry and plain ridiculous that he dismissed them as nothing more than twisted nightmares.

He'd dream of a red haired woman. Her touching his hair, being too close and glaring with yellow fish eyes. His brain would shut down when she would call his name, her voice plunging him into deeper, sentient darkness.

* * *

Tao dreamt about the day Jia didn't come to school. She was not the type to skip class, on the contrary she would attend classes even with a high fever, just to prove how tenacious she was. It didn't matter how many years he knew the tall girl from his neighbourhood, Tao never got used to her stubbornness. She was a cheeky one who thought she was always right, and to everybody's annoyance, she was more often than not.

They grew further apart as they got older. Tao was a nerd in every way possible and Jia was an easy going person who liked to party, drink and go out with dangerous crowd which Tao was definitely not a part of. Unlike others, Jia didn't have a problem talking to him in her spare time. It was usually about nothing important, but Tao appreciated her effort.

" _It must have been boring for her,"_ he'd often remind himself. As a way to make it up to her he made sure Jia had every single movie before it was even released; she was a big movie freak. It was, after all, the reason she befriended him so many years ago. Loving movies was one passion they've always shared.

Nowadays, they only saw each other at school, so when Jia skipped not one, but three days in a row, it moved something inside Tao. Jia lived with her grandmother who couldn't walk well and the bad feeling in his gut only got worse when he found out that her house was empty. There's no way they've gone somewhere, not so suddenly and without anyone noticing. That was suspicious enough on its own. The police didn't seem to think it was strange or worthy of further investigation. They kicked him out of the station the third time he came to report Jia's missing. (Goddamn, useless police.)

Apparently, Jia informed the school she will be transferring because of the move. Apparently, her grandma needed special medical attention at one of the resorts in the country. (What a load of crap.)She would have told him; heck, even if he wasn't someone with whom she would share something as important, she would have told some of her realfriends about her situation.

He remembered Jia talking about her cousins, so after a long debate with himself he finally broke into her house in order to find a way to contact them. Seeing the house fully furnished and the rotten lunch set for two on the table left Tao in cold sweat. This was not how a house should look like when you prepare to move.

To be frank, Tao was usually not the one to lose his head in a dire situation. "Look for the solutions first, worry later", was his motto. But Jia's home looking like this meant nobody even bothered to take a look.

He was way past worrying. He was officially _pissed_.

Despite finding contact numbers in her mobile phone, which was still on her night stand near the bed, he couldn't get in touch with any of the relatives. From that moment on Tao put all of his strength to get to the bottom of it, to find out the cause of her sudden disappearance. He even visited the dangerous crowd she called her "gang". (Yeah right, some friends they were, lazing around all day not a care in the world.)

After two weeks of dead ends he finally hit the mother lode.

(Thank you, internet and poor firewall system of the police.)

Jia was not the only missing youngster from his prefecture. He found lists of kidnaping victims. He also stumbled upon long lists of "marked people", containing candid photos and personal information about them. Those young men and women were being watched 24/7 for some reason. Tao had a couple of ideas as to why, and every one of them was more bizarre and disgusting than the other. Finding shipping schedules and the locations of the pick-ups, Tao realised that this whole kidnapping business had a long successful history behind itself. All of it was thoroughly organised and very discrete. It looked like someone big was behind it. Big enough to keep police at bay.

(To hell with those cowards.)

Jia's not gonna be sold to some sick old fucker. Not on his watch.

Tao managed to hack into the organisation's system and find Jia's whereabouts. He was planning to go there and get her out. So, he packed his things and told his parents he was going on a school trip.

What a fool. What an utter fool he was.

He should have known better. It had "human trafficking" written all over it and he did not think once that going into a lion's den with nothing but a kitchen knife and a homemade Taser was a bad idea. He was smarter than that. His mind was usually logical, systematic and inclined to reason problems before running blindly into situations.

How on earth did it fail him so spectacularly?

* * *

 _Aw… young love is it?_

" _Shit. Fuck! Get the fuck out of my head!"_ He jerked violently on the table. He waved his head uncontrollably and didn't stop until his eyes finally opened. _"She's insane… that woman is insane! What did she say…? Jia was a test subject? That's insane, test subject for what? Some experiments? What the hell, who experiments on humans today? It's the 21th century! There was no such data in the files I hacked. This is all insane."_

A lot of time passed till his breathing settled down and he could see properly. The same white room. (Right.) They had brought him here apparently. He couldn't remember that. Last thing he remembered was a strange blond man at his door wishing him a good morning. Was he knocked out? That fast? He wasn't a type who gets into fights, but still… He reckoned he could score a few points before getting KOed. There was no time to get the Taser out of the bag, but he could use the umbrella in his free hand to protect himself.

" _Mum insisted on bringing one along since the TV said it would- Wait."_ His parents were home getting ready for work. _"Did the blond… did they bring them here too? Where are they?"_

He had to find them. He had to move and _do_ something.

He tried lifting up his head. With a bit of effort he managed to see the whole room. Seeing it empty almost made him laugh. (Those jerks. Did they honestly think he'd stay here? _)_

" _Wait, Tao, don't be hasty,_ _ **think**_ _."_

The drug they used on him was obviously wearing off. He was able to think clearly enough, not to mention he could move. He actually giggled. Tao realised, then, the big device in his throat was gone. There was an ordinary, hospital-grade oxygen mask on his face. The giggle was louder now and just a bit hysterical. Not that he was aware of any of it.

He looked at the heart monitor. That beeping irked him like nothing in this world. He scowled and raised his head once again to see how he was attached to the bloody thing. There were a lot of wires sticking out of his chest, connecting him to a lot of other machines. God knows what they were; Tao didn't care one bit.

" _Easy, don't be reckless and make a mistake,"_ he ordered himself with a heedless smile.

He tried to get up. His body felt heavier than he was used to. After a third try Tao was already panting as if he was running for the last two hours. (Why was it so hard? Damn it.)

He managed to turn to his side and push with his forehead. He clenched his teeth holding his breath. His legs twitched and he was up, wheezing with his vision going grey at the edges. " _No, don't pass out."_ He flinched and pulled his body forwards, then took a couple of minutes to calm down as he reached the decision. (It's now or never, but first, let's pull out these goddamn wires. _)_

A quiet voice at the back of his mind told him disconnecting so many tiny tubes from his unsteady body was too risky. He didn't know what those wires were for nor how deep they were stuck in his flesh. Well, he reasoned that they couldn't be that deep for he didn't feel much pain.

" _That's because you're full of drugs,"_ said the other voice. Then the third one whispered that this whole thing with stripping the wires off and escaping was just another bad idea. Can he even escape? Wasn't it futile? He didn't know where this place was, if there were guards or cameras monitoring him. It certainly wouldn't be easy to leave this room, especially in his condition. Maybe, if he waited to gain some strength back…

" _Screw that,"_ Tao thought, _"who says there'll be another opportunity like this one? I have to get out of here and find my parents._ _I have to figure out where Jia is. I'm not staying in this mad house a second longer."_

" _Bad idea! Very bad idea! Don't pull them out!"_

His hand was missing.

He was staring with his eyes wide open at the shoulder that was missing an arm. Was that _his_ shoulder?

" _Are you serious?"_

Where the hell was his arm?!

He was breathing so fast, there was actually no air in his lungs. His whole body was covered in cold sweat, trembling so hard that he could hear his teeth chattering. A weak moan left his pale lips when his other shoulder wrapped in bandages came into view. His eyes were hot and damp like the rest of his body.

" _Where are my arms? What did they do?! What did they do to_ _ **my**_ _ **arms**_ _?! Did they cut them off?! Is that even possible?! Can they do that?! Who would do that?! What the fuck?!"_

His scream was caught in his throat. It choked him. He almost fell off the table when he lurched clumsily on the side and threw up. There was only water in his vomit. It was suffocating him alongside that damned mask he couldn't take off. If it weren't for a strong hand on his back he would have lost consciousness and hit his head on the polished tiles beneath him. It pulled on him hard and pushed him back on the table. They stripped him of his mask.

(They?)

There were too many hands touching him.

" _They took them! They took my arms!"_

"Muah… aagrh…" Tao gasped, while they were holding him down, which in his state proved not to be too hard to do. When he saw the syringe ready, he winced. "Nnn…No!"

This wasn't happening, this can't be happening! (You're dreaming! A worst dream of your life!)

He felt the needle prick his thigh this time. It was enough to make him vomit again.

"N-no…! Gah… no…" The familiar weakness was taking over. The darkness spread over his eyes in splotches, angry ink to spite his helpless tears.

"… no…" It overpowered him completely. It happened so fast he didn't even notice when he lost the will to resist. Tao fell into the clutches of nightmares and didn't wake up for a long time.

* * *

There were moments of waking. Not being awake, per se, just a weak process of waking up. Most of the time he wasn't even aware that he had moments of actual consciousness. In other times, when he was sure he was awake, his thoughts seemed kind of dim and distant. That feeling of blankness was the scariest emotion he had ever experienced. It made him helpless and miserable, usually not knowing what the problem was in the first place. There was _something_ wrong, he had a feeling, but whenever he tried to think about it exhaustion would take him so suddenly that the only thing he could do was close his eyes.

In those rare moments of waking up he'd just stare at the hazy white and grey around him. The space was moving on its own. Sometimes he felt like somebody threw him in that luminous abyss with no intention of picking him up, and sometimes it felt as if it was falling down on him. Squashing him like a bug. And he had no opinion to give on the odd chance of it all actually happening.

He had no opinion on anything.

* * *

For the first time in who knows how long, he felt truly awake. His eyelashes were trembling… and his vision blurry. He had to put a lot of effort just to keep his eyes open long enough to understand that he could see again.

There was a strange sensation on his face. A touch. Something brushed over his swollen lips. A cold hand… robbery fingers were holding his chin. A cling and a click and something massive ripped itself from his face. The grip fastened. Tao felt like he swallowed a rock. He gagged when something long and hard started to creep up his throat. There was no end to it. A disgusting tasteless piece of plastic was extracted from his mouth. He twitched forward, leaning heavily on the hand that was still holding him tight. Unknown fluids were coming out of him, making him cough. He continued retching for some time after that, every sense of control lost. He wasn't sure if the hand on his chin helped him or not, but was glad he was able to feel it. One part of him was so happy he wasn't alone right now.

"Wakey-wakey," said the sweet voice.

The woman. _That_ woman.

There were so many emotions hitting him all at once he didn't know what he was feeling anymore. He wanted to shout and kick and scream and hide.

That insane woman.

" _She took my hands!"_

Rage stomped on every single one of the voices telling him to calm down, to be scared, to not move, to not provoke. His head was filled with images of him ripping her head off.

" _I'll kill you, I'll fucking kill you all, you sick bastards!"_ He couldn't stop his hysterical shrieks. He wanted her to hear how much he _loathed_ her. He spat all of his threats and curses in English and in Chinese, then both and at the same time.

Half way through his tantrum he didn't know what was coming out of his mouth anymore. As long as it was hate he didn't give a damn how ridiculous it sounded. There was never a person he despised so much in his entire life.

" _Where the fuck are my parents? What did you do, you bitch?! Where did you take Jia? I swear to god I'll destroy you if you don't release me right now, you ugly hag! Let me go!_ _**Let go!**_ _"_

"Oh dear, what's the matter?" Dr Aris tapped his lips gently with a napkin. "You want to say something? Please be careful, your throat must be sore."

He shivered in anger when she wiped off the droll off his face. Black dots appeared in front of his eyes and the room started to spin. That woman stroked his cheek while he was moaning in pure pain. It felt like his brain was overheating, like vapour was coming out of his ears. She must have enjoyed other people's suffering.

" _That bitch. She's dead. You're dead! When I get out of here, I'll have the whole police of China…!_ _ **Military**_ _on your ass! You'll be dead, you human trafficking_ _ **whore**_ _!"_

"It's alright, it will pass. Dr Aris will make you better. Now…" She was checking something on his head. "Do you know who you are?"

(That woman was really asking for it, didn't she?)

" _You might have had your way with me, fish eyes, but I ain't senile yet!"_

"Is your name Tao? Blink if you understand."

It seems his lips forgot how to make words. That was frustrating. Dr Aris was waiting patiently while he snarled like some small animal. That was even more frustrating.

" _Damn it, don't patronise me!"_

(Never mind then, my mouth couldn't form a coherent word, it could still, however…!) He wanted to spit on her and bite her thin neck. (Let's see how she likes that!)

He growled which made her pay closer attention to his clenched teeth. She made note of every single twitch he made as if she was searching for something, which in turn made him fully aware of how tall and big she looked. How her eyes were looking down on him and how her figure appeared strong in the light. A menacing shadow in front of him blocked the view and all he could see was her staring. Staring poignantly at Tao, at small, weak… mute, chopped up Tao. Her food. She was assessing; probably whether he was ready to guzzle down or not. That woman was analysing. Those yellow knowing eyes stripped him naked. It was as if she could read his mind.

His body tried to move, to run away, but he couldn't move an inch. All of his bones ached as she took a step closer. His anger was gone like it was never a part of him with one tight grip of her robbery hand on his jaw. The chill was coming from her excited breath. He felt her touch on his sweaty temple move slowly to his scalp.

(There was… no hair there.)

Did he… go bold? Her fingers tinkered with something coming out of his skull. _"What the…?"_ Was there something on top of his head? (Something firm… and metal.)

His whimper was barely audible when she followed the line of the device on his head all the way to his nape. _"Did she… did she put something on my head? Why? What for? What was she doing?"_

There was no way to take a look no matter how hard he tried to turn around. His eyes were flying across the room searching for something. A clue, a mirror… another person to call for help. Help… he needed help. With a caress far more gentle than he expected she caught his attention again.

She was smiling.

"Oh… you do. You understand. I knew I could put my trust in you," she whispered and he realised she was talking in Chinese. "You turned seventeen a week ago. I know it's a bit late, but happy birthday! May all of your wishes come true!"

" _What? What the hell is she talking about?"_

Tao had his sixteenth birthday party a month ago. He distinctly remembers his parents buying him a new PlayStation console. He pulled an all-nighter that time. The new game he got from Jia was tough. He still managed to top score the history test the next day without getting a wink of sleep. It was a pretty good week.

" _What the fricking hell was that bitch talking about?!"_

What did she mean "Happy birthday"? Did he sleep for a year?

" _That's not fucking possible! This ain't some science fiction movie!"_ It didn't feel like a year, more like a very long, tormenting, restless night. How can you put someone to sleep for a year?

Did she drug him again? Sure. What kind of drug was capable of that, though? Was it something like a chemically induced coma? Coma for a year?

" _Don't you do that as a last resort if there was no other way for a patient to survive? I'm not fucking sick! The reason I feel like shit is because that bitch cut my completely healthy arms off!"_

(If it was coma, shouldn't he feel limp and woozy?)And although he did, he didn't get the impression he didn't move for a year. (What did she do?)

" _What are you doing? Why? Why are you doing this to me?!"_

"You scared me quite a bit to be honest. It took so long to stabilise you I started to wonder if all that effort was ever going to pay off." Her Chinese was bad, but he had no problem understanding.

"Whhh… gh…"

"Hm?"

"Wh… w-why…?"

"Why? Baby, you're my special souvenir, you're worth the trouble. Oh, what I planned for you, just you wait! You'll _love_ it. There isn't gonna be any other like you in the whole Union. That pig Crombel will be _so_ jealous." The joy in her voice was poison.

The given answer didn't make him feel better. On the contrary.

"Mmff… mah… my…" His mouth was working on his own now. His stammering was so weak he wasn't sure she heard him. Why was he even talking to her? That woman was evil; he needed to find someone who would actually want to help him. No matter how much he stared at them, other doctors in the room simply ignored him. They were busy preparing themselves for what seemed to be a long and complicated procedure. None of them seemed to think this whole scene as something unreal and deeply twisted.

"My p-parents…" He was sobbing even before she answered. His mind connected all the invisible dots in a flash. It was like he understood things he didn't even knew about.

"Parents? Your _parents_?" She was not that pleasant this time. "Forget about them. I'm your mama now."

"H-help… don't… please… Don't…" Tao interrupting her didn't sit well with her. She looked insulted.

"What are you snivelling about? I'm the one in pain here. I had to change my plans. I can't get you new arms until you're fully grown and I can't start chemical enhancement until your hormones settle down. We already wasted a year, we can't just lay around and do nothing! Hence, the brain rewiring." She clapped her hands feeling all cheered up now that she was explaining her master plan. "Smile, little one, you'll be helping me in this crucial moment. I need you awake and focused, ok?"

"No… please, don't… I beg you… s-stop…" He cried out, loudly, slurring his words like a drunk. "I beg you… forgive me, forgive m-me… I…"

"Don't be such a baby, I'm trying to make you better!" She pointed at one of her co-workers who was holding a bunch of cards in his hands. "He will talk to you and show you the cards and you'll talk back and say what's on the cards. I don't wanna burn that smart brain of yours. Do you understand?"

"I won't do it again… I'm sorry, p-please… let me go, I won't tell… anyone… please, I beg you, forgive me…! I didn't know… I've made a mistake… didn't know… please, _please_!"

"Tao!" She shrieked strictly and he shut his mouth in a blink of an eye. "Shut it, you're annoying! Now, do as I say and everything will be fine! Listen to the doctor, answer his questions and talk about what you see on the cards. Honestly, is that so hard? Am I asking too much? Brats these days…" Towering over him and pinning him down with that resolute stare of hers, she continued in a whisper. "I'll be doing the procedure myself this time, so you don't need to worry. Still, I need you to concentrate." There was something truly evil in that hungry smile, too close to his paled face. "We wouldn't want to make you into a plant, now would we?"

If Tao could nod, he would. He would do anything at this point. Instead, he blinked. A genuine smile filled with nothing but pleasure spread across the woman's face. She put her mask on and disappeared from his sight. The other doctor took the chair and sat in front of him. He was fixing his cards while the rest of the staff took their places. The middle-aged doctor cleared his throat and unlike Dr Aris' his Chinese was fluent.

It was mind boggling. Weren't they speaking in English the first time he had awoken in this hell hole? Are they trying to be considerate? (Don't make me laugh…)

There were fresh tears rolling down Tao's face. His self-control was failing him. His parents… His parents were most certainly dead if not chopped up so some psychopaths could play doctors. (Yes… they were nothing more than psychos, no real doctor would allow this, would participate in this… whatever _this_ was.) These expressionless men in hospital gowns will never help him no matter how much he wept, because unlike true doctors, they couldn't care less about their patients… No, their _meat_. He was nothing but meat. Of course they sliced him up.

Jia was lost forever. That scary woman… she said she won't last two weeks… and that was a year ago.

Tao was missing limbs, his senses were screwed with drugs, and now his brain will probably fry. (Ah… this is the end… right? This is it. I'm going to die.)

" _Whatever."_

"Now… look at the picture. Tell me what you see."

* * *

Author's notes part 2 – chapter 3

I'll talk about some fics that inspired me for my story.

"Developing Trust" by Dark Ice Dragon – you probably read this one if you're a fan of Tao and Takeo. I liked how the author had those moments of a "brainwashed caged mouse" I talked about. It wasn't too graphic but it was nice to see those two had problems. There's a slight Takeo x Tao there. It's fluffy and sweet. You should check it out.

The other one that had greater impact on me was "Foster Home for Endangered Species" by jeza_red. It's not Tao and Takeo centric, however, there was one chapter there that blew my mind. In chapter 4 Takeo has an interesting conversation with M-21 about his and Tao's time at the Union. Among other things he says _"She didn't do big numbers… There were three specimens in mine. About seven or eight in Jake's? Tao, as far as I know was a single. Her pet project, there's nothing like him in the Union, She worked on him a lot before and after he joined the team."_ Which when I thought about it was obvious. Tao really is different, not just in DA5 but almost in the whole Union. His way of fighting, his abilities, hell, even the way he looks, and Dr Aris is all about looks. There were many other interesting stuff in this fic. The author went deeper into the horrors of the Union which was nice to read. It's not finished yet, but feel free to read it, it'll be fun.

Till next time!


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

There was too much. Too much colours, too much letters. There was just too much.

He wanted it to stop. He couldn't take it anymore. He tried, he really did, but it was too much. The voice in the microphone would tell him to stop his whining and to start focusing. (He was focusing alright, he couldn't stop.)

His eyes would see the pictures popping up even before they were visible on the black screen. They were overlapping each other, layers upon layers of pictures. Pictures of everything. The things he saw and people, objects, buildings, animals, plants, planets, and machines he never even heard of before. His eyes would follow the pictures and read the text that never ceased typing itself on the screen. The letters moved so fast they were just a blur of grey. Except they weren't.

He read every single one of them, understood them and stored them into his memory. There was too much of everything and he _swallowed it_ _all_.

Tao never took drugs – Well, not until he got here, but he kind of had a feeling people on crack felt like this. He wanted to close his eyes and forget it all. His brain didn't let him. It's like it was starving for information. The worst of it all was that Tao wasn't able to think about anything else but the material on the screen when they would start their "muscle training".

He still remembered the first time they strapped him to the uncomfortable chair and put a helmet with special goggles on his head. It looked like one of those 3D ones that gamers use for experiencing virtual reality.

Just to think how thrilled he was when one of the stores in his town finally got them in stock. So much, in fact, that he immediately started saving money to get it. (How stupid.)

It was dark inside the helmet. And then it wasn't. His eyes were glued to the screen from the first picture. Out of the mute darkness jumped the photographs, numbers, letters and voices, music, film, recorded telephone and radio conversations, live CCTV broadcasts, police and military files… All of it came at Tao at once, hitting him repeatedly across his burning forehead like they were trying to slither through the crack that self-proclaimed doctor made in his skull.

Tao also remembered the scientists had to stop with the flashing because his brain overheated.

* * *

Tao went into shock and almost died. His head hurt so much no sedative helped him to calm down and sleep.

* * *

The doctors had to comatose him for a week. That was no rest; he was as tired as he was before, but they didn't listen. They were so sure he'll make it this time. And he _did_.

* * *

The intervals between the materials were getting shorter. This was the twentieth "muscle training" and the scientists started mixing the languages in which the texts were written. They were teaching him languages, and he was learning so fast it was upsetting his stomach. Tao couldn't quite tell how long these torture sessions lasted but he got the feeling they were getting longer.

(Those bastards must be so happy their guinea pig was improving.)

He sighed when the screen went black, as if he was holding his breath all this time. His dry eyes were ready to bounce of his head.

It was over and done.

Tao felt the pressure on his neck. Soon after, the helmet too was unhooked. His eyes were singed with so much white. He shut them tight and bowed his head, groaning over the burning in them that just couldn't seem to stop. Familiar fingers wrapped themselves around his jaw, lifted his head, forced him to open one of his eyes. A thumb pulled on his eyelid and fear materialised as he recoiled away from the visage of Dr Aris looming over him. Ignoring his squirming, she administrated a few drops in each eye. Unbidden, a moan tore through Tao as that cold liquid snuffed out the flames. Her palm covered his eyelids, creating a more comfortable dark and he finally started to relax.

(It was over.)

"Good job, six hours straight," she said in English.

She talked _only_ in English now; the only time she didn't was when she had tempered with his brain. Tao didn't really care. English was now like Chinese to him. Korean and Japanese too. He had no doubt those bastards will drill every single language on the planet into him.

"You'll do much better and with less pain once we start on the chemical enhancement. At the moment, your body is having trouble following your brain."

(Why was she still talking? Couldn't she just knock him out with some drug and let him sleep?)

One of the many problems that her playing around with his brain caused was that his brain wanted to keep working, thinking, analysing and learning. It didn't leave him alone. Tao was always considered to be hyperactive, but this was getting ridiculous. It was so bad sometimes that he couldn't get a wink of sleep without the help of sedatives. He feared he might be becoming a drug addict.

"Oh… What to do about this? _What to do_?"

Her fingers were in his hair. Tao hated it. He could tolerate her being close and touching his body. He had to get used to it, since he didn't have a choice. His head was different. He'd get goose bumps whenever he felt her disgusting fingers petting him. It didn't even feel like petting; it was more like she was analysing every single part of his scalp.

She was admiring the scar she made, he could bet his life on it. It wasn't visible now that his hair has grown back a little. Still, when she touched him like that he could feel that cursed line she cut months ago throb.

"Hm… I didn't expect this. What should I do, hm? Have any suggestions?" She stroked his soft white hair, honestly puzzled. She liked the original tar black colour, she wasn't planning on it to turn white.

"That won't do," she thought, "it looks ugly like this. Honestly, what am I to do with this boy? He had only one job – to be obedient and pretty and he is only making me fret like this!" She lifted his head by pulling on his hair so he could see her properly.

"We have to deal with this. It's annoying to watch. Why don't you try to be useful and turn it back to black? Hm?"

(What the hell was she saying?)

It was so hard sometimes to understand her, no matter how smart and fast his brain now was.

" _I beg you... Please, just... let me sleep._ _"_

"I have to do everything around here." She shook her head in disappointment. "Oh well… You're still cute, so I forgive you. And you're becoming manly. You're way taller than me now. Oh, how I hope we'll be able to start the rest of experiments soon."

"Sleep… please, can I sleep now?"

Dr Aris prodded him with a chilling stare she had on her pale face whenever she wasn't satisfied.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Y-you said I could sleep if I complete the test." He's voice felt weak.

"And the test is not over yet. We need to see if you recorded all of the information, as we always do, remember?"

Truth be told, he forgot. After the screenings, he would be sat down in front of another monitor. It would show questions he had to answer, pictures he had to connect to a certain object, name or info… He had to do it in a short amount of time too. Since he didn't have hands to push the buttons with they'd put a device on his forehead that would pick up his thought process and give an answer. It was all very cool… and all very sick.

"If you finish in three hours, I'll let you rest."

" _Three hours?_ _"_ He wanted to cry. It was logical, tough, six hours of input, three hours of output. It was always like that. It was as if they wanted to make him faster than a computer. (How funny that was.)

"Ok."

"Good boy."

* * *

It's tiresome to live this way. He liked travelling and at first it was refreshing to be always on the move, too busy to stay still, which was exactly what one needed to escape the nagging sensation of loss.

How he managed to live in one place before, was beyond Takeo.

(Perhaps that got something to do with Tama-san.)

Yeah, travelling was fun mostly because it meant there was a home waiting for you when you get tired of it.

After two years of getting by, travelling across Japan looking for a place to stay and work, Takeo was wearied by the whole concept. Part of the reason why he was moving from place to place was because he didn't want to be found. If he was not needed in Tama-san's group then he refused to go back just so that he could be yelled at and kicked out of the safe house.

He shook his head with a heavy sigh. Well, he's not returning to Tokyo any time soon. If Tama-san really wanted him back he would have caught him by now. Takeo may be good at hiding, but that man was oyabun, a yakuza family boss. He had people all around Japan. One of them would have tracked him down.

"Forget about that man." He blew his cigarette smoke quietly. It dissolved in the cold air that smelled of snow.

The weather forecast said it shouldn't snow for the whole week. Takeo had a feeling there will be a snow day tomorrow and his predictions for these type of things were usually spot on.

"Kids in my neighbourhood will lose their minds," he thought and smiled to that. Perhaps he'll get a day off too.

Then again his boss was very strict. He'll probably end up shovelling snow in front of the restaurant. He was the youngest of the staff – and most certainly the strongest – so they're not going to let him off the hook that easily.

" _At least I'll get free cocoa._ _"_ That was another reason to smile. His boss was strict, but liked to treat his employees with sweets.

Hot cocoa and snow. That's enough. Sapporo was a beautiful place. No wonder he stayed here the longest.

He didn't want to leave.

This crooked little restaurant he worked at just couldn't do without him. Well… the dishes couldn't, someone had to wash them. (And Takeo was quite skilled.) The last time he broke a plate was back in Osaka a year ago. He's come a long way from then.

Takeo turned around when he felt a weak pull on his short pony tail. His boss, Koichi-san, closed the door behind him and stepped outside. The man covered himself with a blanket he took from the office.

"So cold! Damn, how can you stand it?" The middle-aged bald man sneezed.

Takeo smirked and took out a cigarette from his pocket. "Getting old?"

"Ha! I'm already old." Koichi-san lit up the cigarette Takeo offered him and sighed. "Kid, your break was over two minutes ago."

"Ah, my bad," Takeo mumbled with haste. He put out his half-finished cigarette on an ashtray he borrowed from the cabinet in the kitchen, gave the old man a quick bow and walked to the door.

"Oi, how long have you been my dishwasher?"

"Six months, I guess?" Takeo said with a stupid look on his face.

"Care to remind me why I waste my hard earned penny on you and not on buying a proper machine? One that doesn't require breaks?"

"Um, I… Don't know?"

"A stupid machine could do a better job."

"Oh…" Takeo uttered trying to sound not as disappointed as he felt. "Okay… Did I… do something wrong, Koichi-san?"

"Wanna try waiting on tables?" He wasn't looking at him, just puffing his smoke.

That was a surprise. Takeo didn't see this one coming. Not in a million years. He felt… strange.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? You don't want it?" Koichi-san barked.

"No, yes, I mean – Yeah, I want to. I wanna try." Takeo snapped out of his little shock almost dropping the ashtray.

"Don't get me wrong, kid. It's not like I need another waiter." His boss huffed. "It's just that Mimi-sensei told me and I quote 'He's good with his hands and he's super-hot. Make him wear the apron and a tie, or I'll quit. And tell him to keep the ponytail.' You see the situation I'm in? I've got no choice."

Takeo was trying so hard not to burst into laughter. Mimi-sensei was head chef and she often pulled pranks on the boss. (She was the only one that could and go unpunished.) This one was particularly hilarious.

"You laughing at me, you damn brat?" Koichi-san flushed.

"N-no, no, never, sir." Takeo put his hand over his mouth as if he was seriously contemplating the proposition, when in fact he was desperately trying to hide a wide grin on his face.

"I swear to god if you brake or drop something on our guests, I'll strangle you." He poked him in the chest with his finger, while Takeo nodded.

"Roger that," Takeo said seriously and took a mental note not to mess this up. Waiting on tables was not rocket science and if Koichi-san gave that opportunity to anybody else it wouldn't have been such a big deal. To Takeo it _was_ and he feared if there was a way to be lousy at this job he was doomed to find it.

" _Don't think like that, you can do it, and Koichi-san wouldn't be asking it of you if it could cause him trouble. And even if it could, he_ _ **still**_ _asked you._ _"_

Sweet warmth filled Takeo to the brim and he realised he was truly embarrassed. He felt that all the hard work he did every day was not enough anymore to repay the man's kindness. (He just had to find a way to show reverence.) Koichi-san straightened up holding Takeo's shoulder lightly.

"Good." He put out his cigarette in Takeo's ashtray. "Now, go get me the newspapers. There should be a short article about the restaurants in our area." He pulled out his wallet.

"Ah, no need. Let it be a thank you gift from me." This was nowhere near enough to show Koichi-san how much Takeo respected him, but it was a start.

"Newspapers as a gift. What a cheapskate… Didn't expect anything better, tough, from a little crook…" He mumbled under his breath taking the ashtray from the boy.

"I'll be right back." Takeo started walking with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm timing you, kid." Koichi-san returned the wallet. "If you don't return in ten minutes, you can say farewell to dinner break."

Takeo bowed to him and ran down the street. Koichi-san watched after him with a small smile tucked in the corner of his lips. A loud sneeze broke his daze so he went back inside.

* * *

Staying put could be dull, but sometimes it was fun and in Takeo's opinion waiting for such occasions was more worthwhile than waiting for the next train.

He loved those moments, especially because he was getting more of them the longer he stayed in town. People started remembering him, talking to him on the streets. Outside of the restaurant most of his friends were either under ten or over sixty years old.

Grandma Aki who lived in the same building would always pester him to close the windows when he went out, not to stay up too late and to brush his teeth every day. It took him a long while to notice that helping her go down the stairs became part of his daily routine.

There was a group of grandpas who played chess in the park he walked by to get to work. They would always greet him and use him to get themselves breakfast from the bakery down the street. Becoming their official errand boy was also something that he realised much too late. Sometimes he'd think they wished him good morning just so he'd slow down and listen to their next request. Their interaction with the boy looked like playing fetch with a pup.

He didn't mind that much; being an errand boy was an honest occupation. Not that he was payed… (Oh well.)

There was also a group of kids who liked to follow him around in the morning on their way to school. They became friends over a cat the kids were trying to domesticate. One day it got stuck on the tree while running away from them. Takeo just happened to be walking by and all of the crying kids cornered him, pulling on his trousers, begging him for help.

They were so happy when "tall onii-chan" got the kitty down safe, but after that, for some reason, they didn't dare get too close to Takeo. Worshipping him from afar was ok, but being in his presence… perhaps he really was a bit scary. He had sharp eyes, he was tall with brighter hair colour that people often mistook for being dyed. The ponytail and smoking might be giving them a wrong impression.

" _Maybe I do look like a yakuza._ _"_

He missed Tama-san. It would be a lie to claim otherwise. No matter how much he found living in this poor part of the town pleasant, there was always pain in his chest during long nights when he was alone. He just couldn't get rid of the impression the falling out with Tama-san was somehow his fault.

"Earth to pretty boy."

Takeo flinched when he realised he was wringing the newspapers in his hands. The shopkeeper, Rin-chan, was resting her small, round face in her hand and chewing a gum. She was watching him with a sly smile. "Want me to leave you two alone?"

"Um, no. Sorry." He cleared his throat and gave her the papers. "I'll take this."

"Any plans for tonight, Takeo-kun?" She popped the pink balloon.

Rin-chan could be a real femme fatale with that husky voice and rosy lips that turned to stark crimson when it's cold, but she never bothered with dressing up or applying a lot of make-up. (Takeo thought she didn't need any.) She was three years older, yes, but still cute.

(Yeah… Rin-chan was always cute.)

"Nothing special." He waited for his bag with his palms in his pockets.

"Wanna go with us? The guys from college are throwing a party." Rin-chan was smart and hardworking. Her family wasn't rich, so she decided to work and go to a smaller university in town. That was hard to match.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to take part in discussions about law."

She laughed at him. That was no lady laugh. (Takeo didn't mind.)

"We don't talk about that when we're having fun. You're being silly." She handed him the packed papers and a receipt. She was now carefully looking at him as if she was trying to read his expression. "Come with us. It will be fun."

"I'll think about it."

"You said that the last time."

And like… ten times before, but she decided not to mention his cowardice. Rin was good at reading people, and Takeo-kun was an open book. He wasn't avoiding her because he didn't like her or because he wasn't interested in her in _that_ way. Takeo-kun was one of the kindest people she's ever met… and a bit goofy. He was probably afraid to start anything with her for some reason and Rin was ready to wait for him to realise she wasn't just teasing. She was getting impatient, however, and well… the girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

"It was busy at the restaurant. You know Koichi-san… can't disappoint him."

"Takeo-kun."

He finally looked at her. He wasn't lying; it _was_ hectic at the restaurant the last time. Besides… He didn't know how to act at such gatherings.

Is there some dress code? Where on earth would he find a suit if it was mandatory to wear one? Was he supposed to bring something as a gift to the host? He wasn't in their little clique. Was he even invited or was Rin-chan just being nice? He couldn't imagine any of those smart kids wanting to hang out with a dropout. Was it more polite to refuse or accept in this situation? He had no idea. He wasn't planning to ask Rin-chan, nor was Koichi-san ever gonna find out about it. Takeo didn't think he'll stand the humiliation.

"When I ask if you want to go with us I actually mean if you wanna come with me."

Right, he forgot Rin-chan was bold. Yet another plus. He really couldn't compete with her.

Discomfort must have shown on his face, because Rin-chan continued not giving him a chance to decline again. "Oh, stupid me, I forgot I had to study tonight, I can't go party."

"Ah…"

"Hey, how about I come to your place? My brothers can be noisy at home and I really need to concentrate." She bit her lips as if she was sorry to bother him like that. The way she "nervously" nibbled her lips… (Well, shit.)

His heart rate sped up. "Ok. I'll go somewhere so you can use the room to your liking."

"Na-huh. I need someone to keep me awake and make me coffee and snacks." She popped yet another balloon and ever so slowly... _slowely_ licked her lips. And all over them – from the corner to the juicy down lip where her tongue curved playfully and stroked the thin upper lip leaving it wet.

(Wow.)

That was so on purpose. It wasn't even funny. He thought he had imagined it with the nibbling, but there was no doubt about it. This girl meant business and poor Takeo didn't have a clue how to react to her resolve. (Maybe he should just let her do what she wants? No, wait, did he clean the place yesterday? His shift was ending late tonight. Did he have time to go and clean up?)

"When will you drop by?" He tried to sound casual.

"I'll pick you up. You finish at nine, right?" She was playing with her gum, pulling on it with her long fingers.

(Well... Double shit.)

"Fine."

She smiled and he was smitten with her for all eternity. (Well played. Well played, indeed.)

"Dear God, please tell me my face is not red like a radish," Takeo murmured, almost falling when his leg missed the edge of the sidewalk. That was stupid of him. He shook his head and walked faster down the street.

He and Rin-chan are going to be together tonight. Alone. Was there some protocol to this? Was he expected to do something, to buy, to prepare something? Curse Tama-san for not teaching him something so important. Didn't he always say a man should respect a lady? How? How do you do it? Things popping up in Takeo's head had nothing to do with respect.

Takeo stopped dead in his tracks as his mind did a hard turn.

The way his father handled women… Prostitutes, but women still… and the way he talked about sex, made Takeo feel that "making love" is painful and unpleasant.

(It was no wonder his mother hated him, being forced to endure such intercourse just to get pregnant with him and then spend nine months carrying him around. It must have hurt one's stomach to be inflated for so long just to cut it open in the end to extract the parasite. The C-section left his poor mother with a long scar across her belly.)

(No wonder.)

" _Stop it_ ," he ordered himself pushing the poisonous thoughts aside. So, because of his strange father, Takeo felt sex was awful. (So what? That's not even true.) When he got older, he knew that's not always the case, but… If you take into account that the closest contact he had with the opposite sex was that one time when he slapped the girl at school, you'd conclude just as Takeo did that he was bound to hurt Rin-chan.

"No, _never_ ," he shook his head as if to banish the thought; he'd never raise a hand to a woman. But he _did_ once and if it was true that blood is thicker than water…

" _I'm_ _ **not**_ _my father. No. I'm_ _ **Tama-san's**_ _kid. And I'm not a_ _ **brat**_ _anymore._ _"_

His mind was full of bratty things he wanted to do with Rin-chan, though.

(So what? Wasn't that normal?) He wouldn't know. He never got to talk about it with Tama-san.

" _It's not like she's not thinking about the same thing, right?_ _"_

" _No way, you're reading way too much into this. Why would she want a screw-up like you when there were dozens of smart, rich, future lawyers in her little club? She just wants to study so don't be an ass and make her coffee._ _"_

He blinked.

"Ha… maybe she really does wants to only study," he thought feeling his heart sinking, "That would be a shame."

Takeo mentally slapped himself. _"_ _Just forget it._ _"_

He couldn't really. The image of her red lips were too fresh in his mind. He was still thinking of the way she licked them, when he got to the narrow street behind the restaurant. He almost didn't notice someone waiting near the door.

The man looked out of place. He wasn't Japanese. (Maybe a tourist or something.)

"Excuse me?" Takeo's accent was horrible. "Are you lost?"

"Good evening. I was waiting for you."

The blond in a costly suit was polite, yet he was giving off an eerie vibe. It might have been because of the flat grin on stranger's face or the way his words confused the Japanese boy. Nevertheless, Takeo didn't want to be rude to the man on the account of his wild imagination.

" _Ano_ … Sorry, I don't speak good. Police station is… this street, on the right." He was pointing at the crossroad.

It was as if a bull rammed into him. The man's fist collided with his gut and Takeo saw dark spots. He dropped to his knees choking on his own breath.

"My, my, you're sturdy. Dr Aris will be most pleased," said the man as if he was praising him. The foreigner grabbed his hair and started walking away from the restaurant, pulling Takeo behind him like a sack. Takeo wheezed and sunk his nails into the man's hands. That didn't seem to faze him at all. Takeo tried to call for help, but there was not enough air in his lungs. He closed his eyes and collected his strength.

Yuri was not expecting a kick to his face. Takeo pulled his long legs up. He caught Yuri's neck between his calf and his thigh and pushed him down with a surprising amount of force. That made Yuri release his ponytail. When Yuri hit the ground Takeo lifted his leg and kicked Yuri's head hard with his heel, like pounding in a nail.

Takeo rolled over and scrambled to his feet as fast as he could. He lost his balance after a third step and leaned on the wall. His body was shaking. He still couldn't breathe normally.

(What the hell-)

That hit to his stomach was nothing to sneeze at. He could have sworn the guy cracked every single one of his ribs.

(Was it possible for a human to hit so strong?)

"Pfft…" The man snickered. He got up in a matter of seconds, cleaned his hands and corrected his glasses. He looked like he was having fun. "Finally, some resistance."

The man disappeared right in front of him. Only when Takeo got slapped on the back did he see Yuri beside him.

Takeo fell to his knees. He turned and tried to punch the Blondie with a fist, but Yuri just waved his hand off like he was shooing off a fly. Something cracked in Takeo's ears and he screamed. That bastard broke his arm.

" _What the hell?! With just that? What's with this strength and speed? Was this guy even human?_ _"_

Takeo didn't even realise Yuri raised his leg. His foot stopped inches away from Takeo's nose.

"Hm… no, not the face, she'd hate that."

Yuri disappeared again and reappeared at Takeo's other side, bent down in a crouch. He punched him in the flank and sent him flying to the wall. Takeo blacked out the moment he hit the concrete. Yuri cleaned his sleeves and hummed in satisfaction.

"Well, that's that."

* * *

Author's notes – chapter 4

I wanna talk about the age of our boys here. The comic never told us the exact numbers. The only age we know is Tao's. When we meet him he's 24 years old and I take it it's true since there's no reason for him to lie. M-21 is presumed to be 26-28? According to Seira M-21 is the oldest of the three, Takeo being the second, Tao being the youngest. Knowing all that I decided M-21 was 28, Takeo 26, Tao 24.

Wow, that makes Hammer the same age as M-21 and Shark only one year older, at least according to the Noblesse wiki. Since we mentioned those two, Krantz is 45, Dr Aris is 30 (apparently, but I think she's older) and Yuri is 30 years old or more. (I'd say more, especially if he's a Crombel's spy. Crombel obviously figured out how to live forever because of Franky's diary, so why wouldn't he at least slow down the ageing process of his agent, if it's a high quality agent?)

We don't really know how long the boys were at the Union. We suppose it was a long time since they are quite affected mentally by their system (M-21 might have even been born in the lab, who knows? Imagine if there isn't a name he had before the Union. That would be heart-breaking.) Considering that, in my story Tao got caught when he was 16, Takeo when he was 20, which means Tao was already two years under Dr Aris before Takeo came along.

Speaking of Dr Aris, I know they said she didn't really interact with the DA5, except with Krantz and Takeo (as Taira), but I just can't imagine that being true. She loves her babies, in her own perverted way. I can't see her not wanting to experiment on them personally or just taunt them and scare them. They are her toys and possessions on which she spent a lot of time, creating them to look their best and compete with Crombel's subjects. So, yeah, I'll have her interact a lot with her babies. The damage to them is even bigger then, is it not?

See you in the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

 **Author's notes part 1 – chapter 5**

Hey guys! Big fluffy hug to everyone who followed and reviewed the story so far! I'm so happy that people are enjoying this! Special thanks to **Madame aZure** who is always there to support this fic and the art for it on Tumblr and I have to thank **Yunalove** for pointing out some interesting facts about the characters' ages that I didn't know about.

Don't worry, the story is far from over!

Have fun!

* * *

 _"Make it stop._ _ **Make it stop.**_ _"_ He begged like a video set on loop. _"Make it stop, please, it hurts. It_ _ **hurts**_ _. I can't take it. Why are you making me feel all this pain? I'll do anything, just make it_ _ **stop**_ _."_

The screen went black. His whole body tensed up for a moment. He was panting so hard his chest was throbbing.

There was more. More information every day. The particular new feature that kept him awake at night was the recorded conversations. Voices of the important people in the world talked to him in so many different languages all at once. And he understood. He could tell by the sound of their voice, by some habit or flaw in their speech to whom that voice belonged. On a crowded street, among masses of voices, traffic sounds and music, he could detect a person within seconds just by listening; even CCTV feeds proved to be less of the challenge to his enhanced hearing and impeccable memory.

That ability would look so cool in a comic; actually having it made Tao sick to his stomach. He started to hate every single superhero he dreamt of becoming as a kid, every sci-fi film that had anything to do with modified humans, robots and aliens, all those games he played being oh so proud of himself because he was better than others. He hated his love for technology and his hobby of fixing it, and he hated his computer skills that he practised in spare time. He started _hating_ everything he ever _loved_.

Was this some kind of twisted punishment? Or some ironical wish granting?

Sure, he'd think sometimes watching movies how neat it would be to have this and that ability, to be like him or her. And yeah, he wished he was faster and more efficient at surfing the net, better at focusing.

Concentrating was never his strong suit. He'd often feel restless in class, not because he was bored, but because there were so many other interesting things going on around him. He'd look at other students and what they were doing; watched them while they were reading and playing on their mobile phones in secret and sometimes even peeked or tried to deduce from their whispering what was occupying their time. He'd listen to what they were gossipping about. It was fun, and made him feel like a part of the class. He knew what was going on in school even though he was a loner and that gave him a feeling of belonging, especially at rare occasions when his classmates actually talked to him and asked for his opinion on a certain topic. Tao believed his fellow classmates didn't hate him. He was just a bit dull and geeky and always had best marks.

So, yes, his lack of attention of what was written on the blackboard was his weakness. He didn't think it was necessarily a bad thing, though. Tao already knew all of the school material; it was easy, and he studied things quick. He sometimes wished teachers made their subjects more challenging or at least more interesting. He could find more info on the Internet than in his textbooks.

 _"Congrats, Tao, you got your challenge. You fool."_

Was it a punishment? For something he said or done? What did he do? He couldn't have been the worst person on this planet, first of all he was not a murderer, so there were thousands of other candidates more qualified to receive this torture. Or perhaps he deserved this kind of treatment for thinking that way. _"There must be a reason… Oh,"_ he remembered. He was the one who picked a fight with these bastards first. " _Right."_

 _"Why? Why did I do that? Haven't my parents taught me anything? My… parents…? They wouldn't have allowed me to play like that if I had them… or if they cared… right? I mean, hacking is illegal. It was borderline tolerable when it was just video pirating, but hacking some organisation… why did I do that?"_

He couldn't remember it well.

It's been a while since he first realised he was losing parts of memory. They weren't completely gone; it's not like he couldn't find his way to them, it's just that they were so foggy… So vague and complicated to reach. There was just too much in his brain now. (Was it trying to make space?)

It seemed his brain was convinced that information from the input was far more valuable than some memories. He would lose himself whenever he'd tried to sort out piles and piles of newly learnt things. He'd lose focus and forget what he was looking for. Besides, it was easier not to think at all. Whenever his brain started working it would take hours for it to calm down. Tao just couldn't stand the loud processing and buzzing in his ears.

And now – thanks to that new feature in the input – he had to deal with hallucinations too. Nightly conversations with people that he saw in the screenings, people who he never met in person, had to be a figment of his imagination, his fried brain. (It was the only logical explanation.)

He would hear them talk and his lips would start to move on their own. Soon enough, Tao was certain there were politicians and other big officials in his room debating with each other, sharing confidential info Tao had read during inputs. He could almost touch them, and he _would_ sometimes. At such moments Tao would realise he was trapped in some dream again, because there he still had arms.

Sometimes there was a pair in the room, a man and a woman, sitting on his bed, holding his hands. He had a feeling they knew him, but he couldn't recognise their faces. They wouldn't speak when he'd ask them questions and no matter how much he cajoled them into talking to him, they persistently stayed quiet. It made him angry… Overwrought for some reason. Their constant silence wounded him to the point where he couldn't bare to look at them anymore, which in turn made him hurt even deeper.

In the end, he decided to ignore them completely. They became rare guests to his midnight sessions with presidents of the world, old and new. They stopped visiting one night and after a second and then a third, Tao forgot they were ever there.

Tao lost count of the "muscle training". He thought he recently heard that it was his fifty-third time successfully finishing the test.

 _"That_ _ **woman**_ _must be so proud."_

It made him feel odd. The fact that she kept visiting him at the end of every single training and wasted time on trivial repetitive parts of the process that she could had easily assigned someone else to do was weird. Every time she hid his tired eyes from the neon light he'd relax a bit more. Soon, he was sure his mind was melting from her palliative body heat and he enjoyed it so much he was now addicted to it. He longed for her rubbery touch and when she tugged on his hair his heart would beat a little faster because he knew it was _real_. She was real and she was here. Always.

Tao was locked in his room when it was time to "sleep". He had his honoured guests to keep him company, but he knew he was just talking to himself. There was also no one in the room where they performed the tests to help him pass the time during the ordeal.

Aside from being there to take him to the training room, the closest his doctors interacted with him was via microphone and they would converse with him only to scold him because of his whining. Was he talking during screenings? He wouldn't know.

Indeed, her being near him was… soothing.

* * *

She would never miss to feed him. It was once during the day, but it was enough. Tao didn't have much of an appetite. It was… _kind_ of her helping him eat the whole portion. He wasn't able to on his own. And even though he didn't like those tasteless soups she spoon-fed him, he often found himself wishing "meal" times lasted longer.

He tried once to persuade her he needed two meals a day. (He thought it was a reasonable request since he was still a growing boy, right?)

(How… how old was he, anyway? How much time has passed?)

Tao pondered the question until she caressed him with a mysterious smile on her lips. He gave in to the touch and forgot his worries. "Two meals a day" drill didn't last for long because his stomach refused that much food. She yelled at him for lying and then she held his shoulders while he was vomiting. It was so kind of her to care.

* * *

It was so nice of her to protect his eyes. He could rely on those hands to keep his head from falling.

It made him feel utterly _miserable_.

"Twenty hours. I am _so_ proud."

She would never fail to praise him. Dread would crawl from his gut but his heart would swell at the doctor's words. _"My God… what the hell_ _ **is this**_ _?"_ Tao wanted to cry for being such an idiot, but he'd rather die than weep in front of her. Not ever again. It only made him feel like he lost another battle. If he could still hear any of his inner voices he'd bet at least one of them would whisper: _"You've already lost the war_. _"_

Tao gulped down his whimper and let his head rest on her chest. It irked him he had the strange need to do so and he despised her even more for allowing it.

"Time for candy." She tugged on his hair and pulled him up.

There was a pill in her hand, his new medication he started taking… weeks ago? He recalled her saying something about speeding up the hormone stabilisation. _"It will calm you down,"_ she had told him.

 _"Great, now she's fucking with my hormones and God knows what else."_

Tao refused to take it the first time she presented it to him. He clenched his teeth so hard he thought he'd break them all. He wouldn't open his mouth no matter how many times she slapped him. Then she gave him a wicked smile and said there were other ways to _inject_ a patient with medicine. Tao started shivering like crazy.

 _"Not needles, I can't stand needles."_

 _"No more drugs!"_ He screamed in his mind, knowing he'd be begging for some sedatives in a few minutes. He opened his mouth on his own and she made sure he swallowed the pill.

He was _disgusting_.

(Yeah… he was, he really did deserve it.)

There was no other explanation to why he would be condemned to such agony. No person was that _evil_ to keep hurting another human being with no reason and after all those… pleasant moments he had shared with her, she couldn't have been _pure_ evil. It must had been his fault she was behaving like this… behaving like a nut.

(What… What did he do? Did he have no shame? Forgetting something so horrible?)

No wonder she hated him, because only hate would make you do this to a fellow man…

(Right?)

Despite of it all, she still cared for him. There was no mistake, there _was_ tenderness and familiar sweetness in her voice that he vaguely remembered dreaming about sometimes. He'd experience a sharp pang of guilt whenever he'd feel happy about it. Two strong emotions were clashing with each other inside Tao, two faces of Tao were competing for his heart. Was this confusion he felt what people called split personality?

 _"Wow… a sinner_ _ **and**_ _a mental case… ha…"_

"There we go." She helped him wash the pill down with some water that tasted like sugar. Tao didn't even want to know what it was.

"Open." He listened and she smiled now certain he took the medicine. "Good boy."

 _"Whatever. Let's just finish with the output and go to sleep."_

"You know, I think you're almost ready for the next stage."

Tao winced involuntarily. (Was she joking?)It didn't matter how fast and smart his brain was getting, he always felt stupid when it came to that woman.

 _"Oh… Right, she was insane."_ And Tao was going insane too. _"Ha ha ha…"_

"Five more inputs and we'll have a nice round number of 100 sessions." She picked up a chart from a nearby table. "It would be best if we did some enhancing before we continue with those. I'm worried your body will collapse otherwise."

 _"Really? Worried?"_ Tao snorted in his mind, while his heart pounded hard. _"Is that…? Enhancing? Is it gonna stop the pain?"_ He had this vague memory of her saying it will be easier after… What?

 _"Tao, what are you saying? Have you gone mad?"_ The question scared the hell out of him. Instead of screaming in terror, Tao wanted to laugh so hard he hoped it would crush his lungs. _And_ his heart.

"You stopped growing, so… I guess you're almost done with puberty, or at least with the most important part of it." She looked at him. "Yes… let's start as soon as we're done with five more sessions."

"E-Enhancing?" His mouth was quicker than his mind. It was so obvious he should resist, say no, beg, whatever, instead somewhere deep inside he thought that maybe if she explained… so that he could understand, maybe he will see that this enhancing thing was not so bad. Maybe he truly needed it… to be better… because it couldn't be worse than this.

"Chemical enhancing. We're going to modify most of your cells so that they can work to their fullest. It won't change your appearance, so don't worry. You'll still be pretty when we finish," she said that like it made sense.

"My… My cells?"

 _"Cells? Like… tempering on a molecular level? Like DNA and that shit? H-how was that… How could she… Can it be done? Isn't that…? Won't that change me from the core? Will I stay…? Your appearance won't – I_ _ **will**_ _change!_ _ **I**_ _will!"_

"Yes, yes, your organs, your bones… I'll take care of it all. You'll feel so much better."

Tao heard a yelp and his mind shut down.

"Nnn-n-no, no, please, don't… I'm trying, I did everything you've asked… Isn't this enough?" He was blabbering without tears.

"Oh stop. You won't feel a thing. I'm trying to help you."

"I don't want it!" He let out a wail that surprised them both. "I can't take it anymore, I'm trying so hard, what do you want from me? Why won't you just let me be? Isn't this enough?!"

"Don't you yell at me!" She peered through him. "Stop trying to make a scene! You're not a child anymore! Suck it up!"

"Why are you doing this? To me! Why are you doing this to _me_?!" He couldn't stop. She was glaring at him angrily, but he couldn't shut up. "Why? What did I do?! Isn't it enough? Just stop it! _Stop!_ "

She crossed her hands. (That was new. Wasn't she about to strike him or at least shout and threaten him?)

"I can't take it anymore, you have to stop! Stop _torturing_ me! I did _nothing_ wrong! _Why_ are you like this?! Can't you just let me go! Let me go already! I want to go home!"

His head ached. Something was squeezing his heart making him feel nauseous.

(Home? Did he have a home? He must have had one, right?)

" _It doesn't matter… Anywhere, anywhere but here."_ He had to get out of here before he completely goes insane.

"You took everything from me! Everything! So what do you want?!"

(That bitch! She _screwed_ him up! She took his arms for no reason! She made him sleep for a year! She stole one whole year of his life! She cracked his brain open! She took them all, that lunatic, _all_ of his memories! He knew he had some, back when the world was normal! He just knew it! And now she wants to freaking _erase_ him! Why? _Why?!_ No reason, there was _no_ reason! That's right, there was no excuse for _any_ of it! There couldn't be! She was just plain _evil_!)

"You done?"

Tao was wheezing barely staying up straight. He had no strength left and if it wasn't for the binding he would have fallen of the chair.

"Feeling better?" She came closer. "Good, since this is the last time you talk to me like that. Is that how you thank me for wishing to help you, Tao?"

 _"Help me? She thinks this was helping? What the…? Oh… This is hilarious… Don't make me laugh… you bitch."_

She rouse her thin eyebrow when she heard him snickering. It wasn't a normal laugh. It wasn't forced either.

"What's so funny?"

(Funny? She thinks this is funny? Just look at her, that bitch was laughing at him.)

That was some twisted _ha ha_ he was hearing.

"You're insane…" He giggled.

That woman was just watching.

 _"What, did I leave her speechless? It's the truth, you bitch, you_ _ **are**_ _insane!_ _And I'm not gonna allow you to make me like you, even if it's the last thing I do! You almost made me convinced I somehow_ _ **deserved**_ _this,_ _that this was all_ _ **justified**_ _and that I should_ _ **accept**_ _it as some form of a_ _ **gift**_ _and a chance to rectify all of my supposed wrongdoings! You made me think you're my_ _ **mother**_ _or something and that you actually_ _ **cared**_ _! And worse, you made me think_ _ **I**_ _cared about_ _ **you**_ _caring! You sick whore! I'm not a bad person, this ain't my fault,_ _ **you're**_ _the one that's wrong! You and this place, they are all wrong and I'm_ _ **not**_ _! I'm Tao, and I'm gonna_ _ **stay**_ _Tao, you hear me? Bring it on, you bitch!"_

"Yes… Soaking in the tub will do you good. You'll rest up and gain some strength and then you'll see how much of a brat you were being. I should have done this sooner." She was talking as if he wasn't there, biting her polished nails. "I knew I had to be careful. I'll need to scan you to see how much damage your brain sustained. Tsk… I hope it's just swollen, I don't want a new souvenir. Hm…"

She touched his hair, examining it carefully. "Ugh… I have to fix this soon. It bothers you, doesn't it? Don't worry, I already have some ideas."

Tao jerked his head to the side. _"You're not touching my head again, I won't let you."_

His heart pounded sadly, desperate for affectionate touch.

Tao told his heart to go to hell.

She held her breath, trying to control her temper. Tao had a feeling he'll regret behaving like this. Part of him knew nothing will change after this explosion of emotions. The war really was lost, he wasn't stupid. All you needed to do is see where she was standing and where he was sitting. There was no way he's getting out of here alive. He didn't care. It felt good right now to be like this, to feel like this.

"Fine, I'll let this little tantrum of yours slide, because you were so obedient until now." She turned to the door. "Finish the output in six hours and I'll let you sleep."

(Six?)

The time of output was always half the time of input. He worked for twenty hours today. Output should be ten. Output was always harder for Tao. It was right after absorbing all that jumbled up material and it demanded a lot more concentration. Especially since they had added blueprints of buildings and maps of cities and metros to the pile of pictures they were showing him during the screenings. His first tries had been barely successful; not because he didn't store and learn the presented information, but because he couldn't stay focused long enough to shelve them where they were supposed to go. In the beginning his mind would often short circuit, but nowadays he was getting a hang of it. Sometimes, if the subjects were more interesting, he was even better in output tests than in input ones.

 _"Six hours, ha? Was that a challenge? Sure, I'll finish in six, hell, I'll finish in five just to see your face when you realise you've_ _ **lost**_ _!"_

"Ok."

Dr Aris smirked as she walked through the doors. "Oh dear… Little baby Tao really is my special souvenir," she thought to herself.

He wasn't even aware how good he was. There was nothing like him in the entire Union. She almost felt bad he was no more than food she couldn't wait to eat. Almost.

She turned down the hallway and entered a big, round room. Krantz was already there for his scheduled check-up. The tests on him were coming along great, and Dr Aris couldn't hide her satisfaction of success any better than Krantz could hide his discomfort at being the centre of the doctor's full attention. He flinched and the smirk on her face grew into something sharp and vicious.

Krantz was one of the rare subjects to volunteer for her experiments. As a military man who's seen his fair share of armed conflicts and devastation it brought, he joined the Union a couple of years ago believing the world needed stronger soldiers. Eventually, he wanted to become one himself. Fate wanted him to end up in Dr Aris' hands. Krantz was too old for her taste, but still handsome. There was something attractive in grown, tattered men with scarred souls. Especially if they were scared of small women.

"How are you feeling?" She asked with a cute voice.

"Good."

She liked that rough and simple way of speaking. It made him really look like a fearless soldier, disciplined and confident. If only he knew there was a limbless eighteen year old kid here who had more balls than him.

She spotted Yuri in the corner smiling like always. His smiles were even wider when Dr Aris and Krantz were in the same room together. He loved how that proud man squirmed in her presence.

"Yuri, right on time."

"As always, doctor." Yuri stepped closer taking out some documents from his top jacket pocket. "You said you'll be having some free time soon. I'm guessing the boy is ready for the next stage?"

"We'll start with enhancing his body in two weeks. After that we'll have a couple of more operations, and in a year or two, he'll be able to train with Krantz." She slapped her hands in joy.

Krantz gave a weak smile. Preparing that brat he helped Yuri pick up two years ago was taking longer than her work on any other subject. Well… As long as she made him ready and good for consumption he didn't care what she did. He saw the results of some of her meddling with natural order of things. Better others than him.

"I wanted to be sure which one of them you want me to bring to you?" Yuri presented her the documents. Those were all candidates on her souvenir list. She wasn't usually so organised and persistent when it came to her pets. She would have Yuri kidnap random people on a whim. For some experiments, however, she looked long and hard for a suitable candidate. Yuri would help her track them down and monitor them until she was ready for them.

DA5 project was a big one. Dr Aris was working on it for many years and she now had long lists of more or less perfect subjects. She read the papers with her big yellow eyes. It seemed she knew exactly what she was looking for.

"There, these two." Doctor pointed to the names. "Now, Yuri, be careful with the condition you bring them in. Don't repeat the same mistake with Tao."

"Dear me, doctor, won't I ever be forgiven? I had no choice in the matter. The Elders insisted."

"Fuck the Elders, I want these two in top notch condition, understood?"

"But of course, doctor. There's no need to worry, they are of no interest to the Elders."

"Tsk, those pigs." Dr Aris pulled off her rubbery gloves and sat on the table. She reckoned she deserved some tea. She could spare some time to celebrate, since today was successful.

"I'll return shortly." Yuri was now in the hall. He glanced at the files of the two new guinea pigs. "Takeo and… pff… A man going by the name Shark. Hope he still has sharp teeth."

He continued with a whistle.

* * *

 **Author's notes part 2 – chapter 5**

I don't know why, but I always felt strange when I read _Ha ha ha_ in Tao's speech bubbles. That laughter rarely felt genuine. It kinda bothered me (like it did other characters in the comic but not for the same reason I guess, although there were moments when they were all like _WTF Tao_? I'm reading too much into it, but who cares). Anyway, Tao is a hyperactive, talkative person who can easily lose focus and be unaware of the things happening around him when he's doing something. When he's given a task he'll do it, he'll do even more than what is expected from him.

Tao (I think) said Krantz was afraid of Dr Aris which I've found very interesting. It somehow humanised him. We know little about Takeo and Tao and we know even less about the rest of the DA5. I mean, I've made up a lot of things in this fic, and I've made up things for those three too. They were kind of one dimensional and shallow in the comic, so I tried to give them some character. Whether I've succeeded or not, we'll see.

Leave some comments and see ya soon!


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

 **Author's notes part 1 – chapter 6**

I wish you all Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

* * *

To say Tao showed excellence at the last five "muscle training" sessions would be an understatement. Not once did he complain during inputs. (He couldn't remember he ever did, but just in case, he bit his tongue and squeezed his lips so no sound could get out.) He gave it his all in order to spite that woman: finished outputs in shorter time than he was expected to, not making any mistakes; swallowed whatever she put into his mouth and stayed indifferent to her possessive touching and playing with his hair; he only talked when she asked him something and his answers were short and plain. That's how much he hated her.

Then again… one part of him that grew bigger and louder with the days passing by was telling him to quit lying to himself. The cruel reality was…

Tao was desperate to prove how good he is, how smart and obedient he can be.

He did everything to convince that woman he didn't need to change so that she would be satisfied with him. He was great, he will try, no, he _will_ be greater, just give him time. He'll do whatever she wants, he'll be her perfect pet and make her proud.

" _Please, let me stay like this."_

She didn't let him, tough. She didn't talk about enhancing, but she didn't have to. It was already decided and as the day of the beginning of the second phase of his change got nearer he was slowly starting to lose his composure. He was a mental wreck. After so much time his resolve was broken and he sobbed like a baby during his time for "sleep". If he couldn't sleep before, now it was impossible.

* * *

Tao wasn't sure what time it was. He couldn't tell the time of the day in the lab. His clock worked as doctors wound it up. So, when Dr Aris came into his room, he didn't know if she was early or late, just that her presence was unexpected. She entered alone and closed the door and Tao knew it was _time_. He promised himself he'll try not to show weakness. ( _Try_ being the key word.)

"Hush." She sat next to him on his bed while he whimpered. He winced at her touch, but she continued to pat his soft hair until he got tired of crying. Fingers tangled in his hair calmed him against his will, against all reason - he didn't want her to stop. "I know you don't like it when it hurts. For this experiment I need to put the tube in your throat so you can breathe normally."

By just telling him about it his body tensed up. His face turned sickly pale.

"I'm also aware that you're not a fan of that device. I decided to spare you the experience of putting the gear on you. That's the least I can do for my pretty baby. You made me so happy this past few days."

He honestly didn't know what he felt anymore. He was grateful and so very sad. She let go of his hair and took out a small box from her lab coat. The box clicked and she was now holding a syringe with a familiar white liquid in it.

"No…" Tao pleaded in vain.

"Hush." That one was far stricter than the first one. He closed his eyes when she pressed her hand on his thigh. The needle went in with no effort; it was over in a blink of an eye.

"I'll be there when you wake up, so you just relax and let time do its charm." She packed her things.

Tao's breath became shallow and barely audible. His eyes were closing and opening in slow motion. Dr Aris put her palm over his eyelids.

The last thought Tao's conscious mind registered was that the gentle hand on his face felt warm.

* * *

The empty streets were wet from a weak rain falling second night in the row. The street lamp flickered unevenly casting a yellowish light on the old rusted cargo containers left to rot just outside of harbour's official grounds.

Far from the view, behind the wired wall, a couple of men helped around the little ship that was anchored there. Nowadays the bulky containers served as a shelter for homeless, yet tonight the place was deserted. Behind the big chunks of metal hid a skinny man with dripping wet black locks glued to his colourless face. The blade of his knife was buried deeply in the cooling flesh of his latest victim, the laying body colouring muddy puddles in crimson. Droplets of salty sweat and rain creeped down the long, bony face of a butcher. They slipped over his thin lips that formed a sneer, revealing sharp teeth. The drops fell into the still blue eyes of a dead man beneath his feet.

Shark pulled out his knife with a jerk. The motion forced him to take notice of a deep cut he now sported on his chest. (That ugly _rat_ managed to injure _him_.) He kicked the loser on the ground in the head and kept stomping on his face, snickering and snarling at the same time as if he couldn't decide whether to be angry or not. He finally stopped with the childish outburst when the man he killed didn't look like a man anymore.

"Rat porridge," Shark taunted.

Unfortunately, there was no one to react to it.

"My, my, someone's tetchy."

Shark was surprised to see such a well-dressed man here as this was not a place for one. His surprise lay mostly in the fact that he didn't notice the intruder's presence. (The little posh shit creeped up on him. That was a first.)

"You one of those Russian pricks?" Shark barked making sure the blond saw his sharp blade. "Too bad, comrade, I got him first. Money's mine."

"I assure you I haven't the faintest idea to what you're implying." Yuri corrected his glasses.

"Right, so you're not here for the frog? Carlo Vinchenzetto will give a lot of money for this asshole's head. I bet even the Russians heard about the dispute among the Italian mob up the east coast." He leaned the tip of the knife on Yuri's chin. "I'm warning you, four-eyes, this here's gonna go right through your bowels. I've already killed four bounty hunters today." Yuri's closed eyes were reflected on the blade. "Offing one more may even make this day more memorable; set a new record for sure."

"Interesting. However, I'm not a member of mafia. I am not here for the reconciliation of your benefactors. I'm here for you."

Shark slammed him against the wall. As he cited in the warning – with one powerful thrust, the blade went easily through.

"Pah ha ha ha!" Shark scoffed at him. "That was stupid of you! Ya think I'll let myself be gutted by a pretty boy like you? I've been in this business for many years, rookie! Next time you wanna collect a hit, try not talking too much about it!"

The laser came out of nowhere. It sent Shark flaying with such velocity and strength that he actually made a shallow body-shaped dent in the ramshackle wall behind him. Yuri sighed and pulled out the knife like it didn't hurt at all. (Which didn't.) Shark was – mildly put – shocked, which was probably why he was still wide awake. (That didn't actually happen, did it? That man shot a laser from his finger.)

"Do try not to move. The wound on your abdomen just got serious." Yuri commented, attention set on assessing the damage his own costly suit took. No dry cleaning could wash that blood off. There wasn't much of it, true, but his blood was not an ordinary one. (Tsk.) That's what he gets for wanting to make a point. Dumb people like Shark needed a flashy presentation to understand certain things.

"What… Who the fuck are you?" Shark hissed.

"Someone wants to meet you. I'm a mediator." He straightened up his jacket and the smile was once again on his face.

"What?"

"I do believe you'll like her proposal, Shark."

"Proposal?"

"You like blood and mayhem. She's offering you every single war on the planet. I think that would be a nice challenge for you, hmm? Killing millions and destroying countries sounds much better in your little diary than chasing rats for small fries."

" _That_ _ **did**_ _sound better,"_ Shark thought. _"Too good, in fact, to be true."_ Then again, this guy was not human. Humans can't shoot lasers and Shark knew what he saw. It certainly peaked his interest.

"You won't need to worry about money, nor about anything else."

"I just have to be a lap dog for that bitch?"

"With no leash."

" _Huh..."_

"And who are you people? You claim to be so powerful, but I never ever heard of ya."

"That's the point, don't you think?" Yuri was playing with the knife, watching his reflection and fixing his tie that went fabulously with the fabric of his suit. He needed to get another one just like this.

"So I get the powers you have?"

"Not exactly, but yes." Yuri looked at him. "And you get to meet other super humans. I can't even imagine how fun it will be to take your rightful place in the food chain."

And that was it. The crazy grin on Shark's face said it all.

It honestly puzzled Yuri how Dr Aris picked out her pets. Shark was a bloodthirsty bastard even without the help of drugs and tests. A hungry dog, stupid enough to be easily controlled, which made him a perfect soldier for the Union. Yuri knew all about his insanity; he knew everything about every single candidate for DA5 because he monitored them for so long. That's why he knew how to approach them without making the whole thing too tiresome.

Dr Aris choosing Shark was no mystery. Krantz, on other hand, knew what discipline is, was scared of the doctor and had uncontrollable lust for power. In a way, the man had a messiah complex. He thought the world needed stronger men and one mass cleansing he was oh so happily willing to provide. And while those two could work nicely together, Yuri wondered how Dr Aris thought mixing them with someone like Takeo or her dear Tao was a productive solution. Sure, they had by far more potential then Krantz and Shark ever will, but they lacked that _something_. And that one component was crucial. No matter how much she thought she can change them, manipulate and brainwash them, creating that _something_ in a person was out of technology's reach. It takes years of _assiduous_ work to break someone and make place in the cracks for bloodthirst and insanity. To prevent any relapses and loss of the required attributes was yet another jarring obligation.

Tao and Takeo being like that, of course, made them more fun, and Dr Aris liked to play.

 _"Oh, well, as long as she can control them long enough to fulfil her intentions with the DA5 project, it doesn't matter,"_ Yuri thought. Besides, whether they had that _something_ in them or not, every person can be controlled.

"Oooohh... I get to beat the shit out of the guys like you?"

"If you can." Yuri was standing close to him now, watching Shark from up high.

"We have a deal, pretty boy."

Yuri corrected his glasses again and pointed his finger at Shark's forehead. A ray of light exploded.

"Don't call me pretty."

* * *

Takeo was cold, which was unusual, considering he wouldn't get cold even if he rolled in the snow with nothing but a T-shirt and pants on. (Ha… Maybe I should do that.) He wondered what kind of a face Koichi-san would make. Perhaps the kids wouldn't be frightened of him anymore if he acted like an idiot from time to time.

(Uh… maybe he shouldn't do it, after all.)

Rin-chan would definitely find out and it would turn awkward. Not that it already wasn't awkward enough with her around. This night might change that a little.

 _"Shit_."

Should he buy her something? Like flowers or sweets? Did she plan to eat at his place? He had only yesterday's curry in the fridge. They should order food. Definitely. Maybe he could ask Mimi-sensei to give him some leftovers from her famous cake. Rin-chan had a sweet tooth. (Yeah… that was a good plan.)

He was about to go inside, toss the newspapers on the boss's table and beg their cook for a favour, when he saw a strange man at the door.

 _I was waiting for you._

The kick to his gut brought him back to his senses. He groaned, and sound shook him to consciousness, eyes shooting open, only for pain to blossom in his head. Closing them helped, but behind his eyelids now lay shards of glass. There was something… wrong.

His body felt weird. Between his fingers, there was a slippery liquid that stuck to his skin. Takeo moved his hand a little and the lukewarm fluid followed it making a bubbling sound. Bubbles. There were bubbles hitting his ears, crawling along his temples and then popping above his head. The hair brushing against his cheek startled him.

(His hair was… floating? Was he… under water?)

And there was something in his mouth.

It was heavy, firmly squeezing his throat and covering his nose, pulling his head down into submission. The alien object left him feeling caught in a deadly grip of jaws. Despite knowing it all to be a product of his _clearly_ over-reacting mind, Takeo could feel himself sinking further bellow. He wanted to see again, to make sure, but his eyes still burned. Takeo then moved his hand and realised it wasn't listening to him.

 _"Alright, don't panic. You're_ _ **not**_ _drowning. You seem to be breathing normally enough. Just_ _ **breathe**_ _."_

The thing in his mouth must have been helping him with that. There was pressure on his tongue when he tried to swallow. A tube was stuck deep inside his throat. (A… medical breathing tube?) Takeo _really_ didn't want to panic but something was telling him he was not in the hospital. He guessed that could have been the case since he got his ass kicked.

(An attempt of robbery? Who in their right mind would want to rob _him_?) It was obvious he had absolutely nothing valuable. Koichi-san and the others probably found him dazed in the alley and called the ambulance.

But why would he be under water then? It made no sense.

(The attacker… Did that man do something to him?)

His eyelashes twitched. The sticky green water was burning his eyes, but he had to bear with it if he wanted to find out where he was. It all looked very hazy from the water tank. He appeared to be in an uninviting room with a very tall ceiling. Near the walls on the side were long tables with machines and computers on them. He could see them being operated by a couple of people dressed in lab coats. A muffled sound came out of his mask. There was no use calling for help; even bubbles were louder than him and the people in the room were obviously not paying him any attention.

After he rested his eyes Takeo looked around hoping to see the blond who ambushed him, yet the strange man was nowhere to be found. Takeo closed his eyes again, calm losing to the panic with every second that passed. Desperate want to collect all of his strength and break the glass arose within him, but only thing to shutter was his plan. He couldn't even make his limbs move.

 _"No, don't panic."_

Takeo took his time. Slowly, he managed to move his fingers, his hand. He winced cursing. _"Shit. That man broke his right arm_. _"_

(Goddamn it.)

He needed to calm down. He still had his left hand which was fully capable of knocking a person's teeth out. Lifting it, he tried to reach the glass; however, it was further away than he thought it was. He pushed a little with his legs. Since he was in the water, why wouldn't he swim? Except, he wasn't getting anywhere. Either his legs were too weak or this water was too thick. He barely scratched the surface of the glass, when he noticed something. There were other water tanks in the room and a couple of them were also occupied.

In the closest one to him, floated a man with long curly hair and a nasty looking wound on his bare body. In the one further down the room there was an unconscious young man with unnatural white hair and no arms.

Something truly horrifying formed in Takeo's mind. It made him see dark spots. The noise of the bubbles popping near his neck made him shiver. The burning spread to his face and chest and he had to close his eyes. He kept them tightly closed letting the dark grow stronger. It was deep and cold and it didn't let him go.

* * *

The lab would become lively every time Dr Aris came to visit. She'd usually have a small round table brought to her in the middle of the room where she could sit, enjoy her herbal tea that was good for smooth skin and observe all of the water tanks at once. Doctors would dance around her like puppets on strings in the theatre and grant her every whim. They were especially polite in her presence and they would always start the visit with some excellent results they gathered from her pets. (God forbid something was wrong with one of her souvenirs.)

It didn't matter whose fault it was, all of the doctors would get punished for it.

That's exactly what happened when she found out one of her babies woke up during the soaking. She completely lost it. The ignorant low life pig doctors, as she called them, tried to hide it, probably thinking it was no big deal. They increased the sedative and assumed the problem was solved. If it wasn't for Yuri, she would have strangled them one by one with a stethoscope. They didn't understand the green liquid could harm 'her babies' if not used correctly.

True, she didn't like the dark colour of Takeo's eyes; that will need to be fixed. Even so, he had great vision and she wanted to make it even better. She needed to enhance his abilities, power up and rewind the nerves before she could change the colour. It would have been such a waste of time if Takeo destroyed his nerves by looking in the water.

Judging by the scans she could get from inside the tank, there was no apparent damage, except for the slight burn. Nothing she couldn't easily fix with some medications. Nonetheless, Aris couldn't risk an error of judgement, so she decided to carry out further examinations, which by default meant taking Takeo out of the tank.

Needless to say, _that_ didn't sit well with her, not by a long shot.

It took a lot of prepping and a whole day to conclude the tests. Fortunately, for those, her baby didn't have to be responsive, which made everything a hell of a lot easier. Dr Aris was eager to say 'hi' and console her pet, telling it she will make it _all better_. (What could be a better introduction than opening your eyes for the first time and seeing your mother?) Strange as it may sound, Aris was not in the mood for a heartfelt greeting, knowing that she will most certainly take out her frustration on poor Takeo if he starts whining. She was not about to ruin her first impression.

After an OCT scan and an MRI, Dr Aris could – and did, in quite a loud voice – laugh in satisfaction. There was nothing wrong with his eyes and she could resume with the enhancing. Takeo has proven to be a promising specimen. Delicate by the looks of him, yet very resistant. He was quite a catch and as a reword she pecked him on the forehead before sending him back to soak.

Aris was so happy she almost considered to lighten the punishment of the pig doctors. Almost.

After that incident another group of doctors came to relieve their colleagues. It was so bothersome to repeat the process of her experiment. She beard with it, though, because doing every stupid little thing by yourself was even more troublesome.

Once in a while, when she paid them a visit, they would amuse her with charts and diagrams until she was satisfied and as soon as the charade was over she would get up and correct her lab coat. From that moment on, she was a doctor. A _god_ who came for her creatures. Everyone would go silent. You couldn't even hear a fly, only the buzzing of the machines.

* * *

A month passed since the enhancing started. Shark's cut on his belly and Takeo's broken arm were healed. There were cords coming out of their backs that were used to inject the subject with certain drugs that then reacted with the green fluid through the subject's skin. Their muscles, their bones, nerves and receptors, everything was reaching a second stage of human evolution. Enhanced modified humans.

Super humans that unlike those pig Crombel's projects still looked like humans.

Perfect spies and soldiers.

The mask on their face that covered mouth, nose and neck served for breathing and feeding. Infusion wasn't enough on the long run. In addition to it, the liquefied food, which resembled baby formula, was pumped through the tube directly to the stomach, providing necessary nourishment for the body. A special substance was added to the nutrition and its job was to accustom the subject's stomach and body to poisons and starvation. The part of the mask, that wrapped itself around the subject's neck, followed their life signs. There was also a needle in that collar that regulated the amount of sedative in the subject's body. The device stuck on their head recorded their brain activity.

Everything was going by the book. A book written in blood.

Dr Aris marked today's check-up as a successful one. She glanced towards Tao whose head devise was a bit different from the others. She was wondering if her additional experiment would work and after a month there was progress. The roots of his hair were turning black.

(Ah… she was such a genius.)

She took a risk and decided to play a little with his hypothalamus, a tiny region at the base of the brain whose job is to set off an alarm system in the body when it feels threatened. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts the adrenal glands, located atop the kidneys, to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Now, _that_ was a problem. Cortisol is the primary stress hormone which controls fight-or-flight reaction. The overexposure to cortisol was disrupting Tao's body processes.

Headaches and insomnia she could overlook, since they didn't matter and could be regulated with drugs. Memory loss was no big deal as long as the memory that was erased wasn't the one she needed for the continuation of her project. Concentration impairment, however, was something that could hinder – if not completely destroy – the fruits of her labour. She needed his quick and focused mind. (That was his only job and he will do it properly.) His ghastly looking hair and annoying crankiness were a nuisance, but she was dealing with them accordingly. The point was to stop his mind from sending signals of being threatened.

(How rude of his hypothalamus to see her as danger. There was no reason for her pretty boy to feel so stressed out when everything was going according to plan. It must be some bug in the system. Lucky him, he had her to fix it.)

"How's the brain activity?" She asked one of the doctors.

"All of the subjects are currently in REM sleep cycle. We tend to keep them that way, as you requested. There are moments when subject Takeo comes to near waking, but we now know how to predict it and stop it before it happens." The doctor answered and continued with a nuance of fear in his voice. "Subject Tao… his brain activity is off the chart, it's beyond normal. You did say his would be higher, but… it's becoming ridiculous at this point, we are starting to fear that…"

"Ah… Let me see." The man showed her the diagrams. He relaxed a bit, seeing she was not about to bite his head off in the fit of rage. "As I thought, he's working. Pay no attention to it. Call me only if it drops, which I doubt will ever happen."

"Are you sure? This could lead to brain damage. Worse, it could leave him brain dead."

"That's why we're enhancing their entire bodies." She smiled.

"Um… there is one more thing we wanted you to look at." He presented her with more papers. "About the _libido problem_ , as you call it."

"Ah! Is it time to start injecting anaphrodisiacal drugs?" She took the papers from him.

"We're almost there. We just wanted to check whether you'll be doing it chemically or…?"

"I'm not operating on them for that. I want them to stay men."

The doctor scratched his grey beard thinking that was just one of the many contradictions this woman was able to utter with no remorse. As if she was talking about the weather. Those were the reasons, however, why she was so brilliant and why he found himself absolutely terrified and fascinated by her at the same time.

"Ah, but I don't want my babies to waste time on lewd stuff. It will distract them from their missions. They'll travel a lot, I need to keep them under control." She sighed. "Ugh, if only I could rip out love itself. Honestly, it's so hard to make a perfect balance when we create our robots."

"Well… If I may say… Dr Aris, physical attraction is the first step, if not the crucial one in the process of falling in love. You don't have to worry about any deep emotional relationships of that kind."

"Hm…" She was contemplating that for a moment. "I like you."

"Thank you," he said with relief.

"Oh dear, what a cruel thing to do." Yuri was smiling near the entrance to the lab.

Dr Aris let go of papers and walked to him clapping her hands together in excitement. It seemed like she already forgot about the others in the room.

"Tell me the good news, Yuri."

"Alas, doctor, he did not lose weight, quite the opposite."

"Agh!" She face-palmed herself. "I so do not deserve this."

"He is skilled as ever."

"But fat!" She shrieked in annoyance. "Haven't I showed you his picture from two years ago?"

"I was the one who took it."

"He had abs! _Abs_ , Yuri! How could he do this to me?"

"I believe it's depression."

"I'm the one who's depressed here!"

"Should I cross him of the list then?"

"You'll do no such thing!" She was more than serious. "He's perfect, I need him for balance and diversity."

"It's settled then?"

"Fine!" She huffed and took a loud step towards the door. Yuri could hear her grumble in the hall. "As soon as I finish this stage, bring him here. I need time to prepare for him."

"As you wish, doctor."

 _"I guess not everything is in physical appearance,"_ Yuri thought with a wry smile.

* * *

 **Author's notes part 2 – chapter 6**

Some fun facts (that you probably already know):

 _Optical coherence tomography_ (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging test. OCT uses light waves to take cross-section pictures of your retina (the third and inner coat of the eye which is a light-sensitive layer of tissue). This allows your ophthalmologist to map and measure their thickness. These measurements help with diagnosis. OCT is often used to evaluate disorders of the optic nerve as well. The OCT exam helps your ophthalmologist see changes to the fibres of the optic nerve.

 _Optic nerve_ is a nerve at the back of your eye that connects to your brain. It sends light signals to your brain so you can see. Damage to an optic nerve or damage to its pathways to the brain results in loss of vision.

 _Marie Antoinette syndrome_ is a sudden whitening of the hair. (Some say it's real, some say it's not. People use it in their stories so I'm using it too, because I think our bodies can do even stranger things under stress. I also read somewhere long ago the change doesn't have to be permanent, which I think makes at least a bit of sense? My mother lost some of her hair when she was in a car accident. Most of it grew back after some time. Don't know if those two conditions can compare, but hey, we're talking about fiction here.)

The majority of dreams (certainly the most memorable and vivid ones) occur during _REM sleep_. The muscles (aside from those controlling the eye movements and other essential functions) become completely paralysed and unresponsive during REM sleep.

 _Chemical castration_ is castration via anaphrodisiacal drugs. Unlike surgical castration, where the gonads are removed through an incision in the body, chemical castration does not remove organs, nor is it a form of sterilisation. It is generally considered reversible when treatment is discontinued. When used on men, these drugs can reduce sex drive, compulsive sexual fantasies, and capacity for sexual arousal.

Some drabble:

So, yeah, I did some research. In the end, it's just my imagination so it's highly possible it's all rubbish.

There isn't much romance in Noblesse, even though there are very attractive teenagers and men around. There may be some crushes, but it's all so innocent and cute, which is fine. (I don't count nobles, they are just too… _classy_ to even think about sex the way humans do, I've got no idea how they reproduce.)

Concerning the modified humans, I believe it's highly probable they were made oblivious of the notion. Take animals for example. They are calmer when they don't have any urges of that sort. Love and other emotions are the risk so why leave them intact? At the same time, taking away something that kind of defy us as individuals, leaves place for far deeper feelings ex-humans can have towards others.

One more thing. Since we all know Dr Aris is addicted to beauty, doesn't it keep you up at night the fact that she has Shark and Hammer in the DA5? Not to be rude, some may find those two attractive. Like my fabulous, quick witted beta reader, for example. It was love at first google search for her and **S** (exy) **Ha** (i) **rk** (ink)™. And you know what, she may be on to something! :D

Till next time!


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

 **Author's notes part 1 – chapter 7**

Thanks everyone for re-blogging, liking and commenting on Tumblr! Every time I get the notification I am so overwhelmed with joy that it didn't even occur to me to read the tags you guys put on the posts. My friend pointed it out to me and told me to read _all_ of them. I have to say my mind is _blown_! I'm smiling even now! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

* * *

He had a feeling he was drowning in stifling heat. It was foggy before his eyes and he didn't want to wake up.

He was in the middle of a heated discussion about law and its practise. One of his companions mentioned how governments sometimes use loopholes in the system to use military, police and their citizens to their benefits. Then the others started talking about military and wars they waged against each other in the past and present, pointing fingers and shouting accusations.

Military plans, soldier counts and units positions, battle formations and aerial attacks, submarines and satellite espionage, appointed spies and spooks in high places, names and codes of people holding the switches to nuclear bombs, blueprints of military facilities, secret labs and testing ground locations, new weapons, new chemical and cyber-war plans for the future, super soldiers and spies, robots on earth and in space, nuclear warheads…. How to disarm high tech bombs, how to hack NASA and self-destruct rockets or missiles, how to sink ships and submarines, how to infiltrate highly secured organisations, how to infiltrate White house, Pentagon, FBI, CIA, KGB, MI6, Mossad, Interpol, how to use terrorists and human rights groups, green peace organisations, women rights groups, gender rights groups, student rights groups… _Any_ group. How to find people with certain keys, passwords… millions and millions of passwords… Facebook profiles, twitter accounts, mobile phone numbers, Google maps… They are watched, _people_ are spied on, there are no secrets, and there is _no_ privacy. Hacking privacy… files, piles and piles of files, case records, and criminal records. Keeping tabs on prisoners and mafia, and using the members of the underground society for the higher cause. ( _My_ cause.) How to control and navigate rich, untouchable people who make countries go to war against each other… how to replace certain people without anyone noticing… how to destroy a country from within in 24 hours. The way to acquire army battle formations, contacts and insiders… How to recognise, avoid and deal with other super humans, experimental data and viruses and land mines… (Just like that computer game. Ha ha ha…)

He felt a cold rubbery hand on his jaw. Thin fingers wrapped themselves around his mouth.

"Shut it, Tao." She hardened the grip. "You're annoying, my head hurts."

 _"Oh… Sorry about that- Redhead?"_

"I sincerely hope all this jumbled up gibberish you're babbling about makes sense in that pretty head of yours. I don't want to start from scratch…" She was grumbling while checking some papers. When he didn't say anything, she turned to him with a serious and analysing look in her yellow fish eyes. "Tao?"

He was looking wan and bleary-eyed. And not registering her at all even though his eyes were fixed on her face. Her brows puckered in a frown. (Well, that was an odd expression she was making.)

She moved his head with her hand and he thought that felt nice. Her touch was familiar and soothing. She took a little flashlight from her top pocket. The light was yellow just like her eyes. And it hurt. He shut his eyes and a few seconds later the light was gone.

"Tao… Do you know who you are?"

" _In general or in a philosophical way?"_ He snorted thinking to himself.

"Do you know where you are?"

 _"Because there are a lot of philosophical and biological explanations of who I am… as a human… Or am I a human? Not sure, I should be sure of that tough… Ah, well, what's the difference between a robot and a human nowadays, anyway?_

 _"Did you know the Japanese are working on a robot who can express emotions and learn? He- It…_ _ **He'll**_ _be able to form his own opinion… Well, not entirely, he'll be forming it from the knowledge someone else feeds him. Nevertheless, an_ _ **opinion**_ _, he will be_ _ **thinking**_ _on his own. That's just a step away from having feelings, isn't it?_

 _"There are also robots who can perform the roles of human organs, they can build tissues and… Nanotechnology, wow, chips in humans… Tagged like dogs… having everything stuffed in their wrists, from their mobile phones and medical charts to their bank accounts… Humans will have everything they need in their arms, they will finish all of their daily chores on foot, never missing a message from their friends on the net, always in tune with the latest world's news. They'll become a walking Wi-Fi, a talking mini computers._

" _Wow, that's a neat plan world government is planning, they have already tried it on prisoners and… There's this organisation building first real_ _cyborg…_ _Cyborgs and super humans, super humans and cyborgs, super human cyborgs…_ _ **supborg cymans**_ _. Pff… humans._

" _But, that organisation, those cyborgs… It could mean trouble. To disable a cyborg, you need to get inside his brain cortex and send a virus that… I can make a virus. Not a biological one, but I know people who can make it for me. It looks pretty interesting, I must ask them about it. A digital virus, however... It's easy, you can even find tutorials on YouTube. You take some code and…"_

"Tao." She called and he looked at her for some reason. "Focus. Answer my question. What's your name?"

" _What's my name? That's an easy one, boring one, let's talk about something else. Like… oh, that's funny."_

"Focus." She grabbed him again. Her red curls were really close to his face now. He could feel her breath on his lips. "Look at me. Listen. What's your name?"

"56.289." He chuckled. "There are 56.289 Taos on the Internet."

That made her pause for a second. She lifted her head watching him cautiously, still holding his neck. "And your name is?"

"Tao, I'm one of 56.289 Taos, I guess… Do I have a profile…?"

"Focus." She ordered strictly and he closed his mouth. "Do you know where you are, Tao?"

The red haired woman waited as he slowly looked around. He recognised the barren metal walls with no windows. There was a washbasin and a toilet seat in the corner of a small room. One chair she was sitting on and one bed he was lying on. "A room. My room. I'm in my room."

"And where is this room of yours, Tao?"

Tao was thinking hard. Hard enough for his head to start throbbing. There was a strange feeling of insecurity and panic forming in his gut.

"I… There's… there's no such information," he said quietly. Was he… ashamed? Of course he was. A smart guy like him to not know something so basic. (Was it basic?) Something was telling him it was an essential piece of information. Necessary information he was missing.

"Hmm… What about a memory? Do you remember this place?"

A memory. Yes, he remembered this institution. He was brought here and… she did something to him. She did it for a long time. Training. He was… muscle training. His brain. It hurt.

His brain hurt because she tempered with it and filled it with all that knowledge he's been thinking about non-stop. Just like that Japanese robot. (Ha ha ha…) His inner laughter turned into painful moaning.

It scared him, but not as much as he thought it would. Maybe he got used to it. Yeah, he was like this for a long time now. (Hundred… Hundred sessions?) He successfully finished hundred inputs and outputs. (When… When did that happen? How much time has passed…? Wait…) He was sleeping till now.

(Did she put him to sleep again? Again. This happened before.)

How long was he under?

Enhancing. She changed his molecular structure. He was changed from the core. His head was going to really explode. He wanted to feel it, to check if it was still there. He wanted to touch it and…

"Do you remember who I am?" The woman was gingerly patting his hair.

(That bitch.)

(Right, I hate this red haired lunatic. I'm Tao she tried to erase. Well, I still feel like Tao, I _know_ I'm Tao, so you're enhancing must have failed.)

He remembered she said his physical appearance won't change. He didn't feel different at all. He felt the same as before, except there was less pain, less fear and his thoughts were clearer. He felt more complete… More like himself. He felt like _himself_ even though there was something _missing_. Something important. (What? What was it?)

(Ah… whatever… I feel alive again.)

She did say enhancing will help him.

As on cue, Tao's heart was beating faster, load enough to leave an echo in the cold room. His chest was so hot his whole body was about to melt. To melt under her tender touch that was _still_ playing with his hair, caressing his temple and eyelids.

(Damn her, damn that bitch.)

He was so happy he was awake and well and not alone… and he was so sad.

Why? There were many reasons for sure. One of which that hurt the most was also the one that _shocked_ him the most – the fact that he couldn't return the touch.

All this time reality was just happening around him. He was not a part of it, he was simply there, playing a role of a high quality recorder. Whenever he would feel her on his skin his mind would tell him, you're alive, you're real, it's happening to _you_. You're still _here._

It was a weird mixture of horror and bliss. Despite hating it so much he was desperate to feel that hand on his cheek, to touch it, to make sure… (Sure of what?) That he didn't change? That he did? That there was still fear inside him he was accustomed to even if he couldn't find it anymore. The fear he was relying on to snap him back to his senses when reason failed him. Or did he want to make sure she was here right now for him? Him personally. Because she was satisfied and…

He had no clue.

There was only hate and love in him. It saddened him, because they were not separate feelings anymore. It was like that for a long while now, it was just that this was the first time his mind was clear enough to understand it. And accept it.

It was disturbing, it was horrible, but she was truly everything to him now. The only person he knows by the touch and not from the screenings. The only person who talked to him, who cared for him in this entire facility. He _needed_ her and Tao prayed to God she needed him too, because he had a feeling the moment she doesn't will be the moment he dies. Tao didn't want to die even though he thought many times dying was the only solution. It sounded ridiculous, him wanting to continue to exist like this, but he _did_. Tao wanted to live. He'll do everything. Everything to make her care about him.

And that's when he came to the conclusion that she didn't fail. She _did_ erase him. She erased him completely and created her pretty little obedient pet Tao, who was dependent of her in every way possible. Just like she was planning to.

"I'm so happy you remember your Dr Aris." She smiled when his head unconsciously followed her hand. She wanted to go check on others, but he was being so cute, touching her palm with his cheek like a baby begging her not to leave him. "I'll let you rest for a couple of days. We'll then continue with the training. Hopefully, I'll be able to start working on a surprise for you."

More tests and experiments. Will they ever end? (Do I want them to end? What will happen when they're done with all the tempering? Who knows?)

 _"I don't wanna know."_

"We need to work on your concentration skills. And we need to install some off switches in your brain. Until then, you'll be taking these pills." She showed him the tablets. "It's going to be infeasible for you to sleep without medical help. Despite being more than a human now, you still need some sleep. I reckon about one or two hours of complete shutdown."

"Shut… down?"

(Like a computer?)

"You won't be able to do that until we install the off switches." She took out one pill. "For now, you'll be taking one of these when instructed to sleep. It's a special pill made just for you that will knock you out and give your body the needed rest. Your brain will still be working, processing and shelving the information you recorded till today. Since you're enhanced you won't be in that much pain when you regain consciousness. Your body can regenerate itself faster than ever."

A pill made for him… Just for him, _especially_ for him… He was so grateful the pain will be gone he almost uttered a thank you. Out of nowhere, his mind turned so sharply to the other direction, it was impossible to stop the burning in his body.

(Is that true? Being enhanced makes it painless? Then… Why didn't you do that from the start? Why torture me when you could have just enhanced me and _then_ feed me all that knowledge?)

"You could have enhanced me first."

Dr Aris rouse her brow. Tao made a statement. About medicine and science. Those were her fields of expertise. She folded her fingers into fists. Her knuckles were so white from the force she used to keep calm.

"Are you a doctor?"

"No."

"Don't butt in then." That would have been enough before. Now, however, Tao was not that frightened by her hissing.

"You just wanted me to suffer." He was saying out loud what was on his mind and he didn't care. He needed to say it, he needed to hear himself say it. No matter how much his heart told him to shut up, he needed this… defiance? He needed to fight, just a little, to prove himself the war was not yet over, that she didn't erase him completely and that he didn't love her more than he hated her. Tao needed to _need_ _this_ more than he needed _her_ , even though he was aware that was not the case anymore.

He needed to _stay_ Tao. _The_ Tao. Whoever that may had been.

"I've already told you we couldn't do that because of the unstable hormones during puberty. I didn't want to waste time, so we did rewiring and muscle training. You did better than expected so what if it _hurt a little_. This is actually good. Because of all the knowledge you now possess, all further learning will go so much faster and we'll be able to move to phase three in no time. I did this all for you so you can have your surprise sooner," she recited. "You'll be thanking me when I finish with you, you have no idea."

"You risked my death just because you were bored. _Nothing_ you do is for me."

She stiffened like a doll. Tao's face said he was confident about the things he was saying. And he was not about to back down, truly believing in everything he uttered. He was freely expressing his opinion with no regard to the consequences. It was almost like that time he dared to call her insane. She was offended alright, but she let it slide because Tao didn't even know what he was saying. Hell, he didn't even realise he was laughing.

 _"And what an eerily cute little laugh that was,"_ she remembered. Tao was out of it and nothing he said in that state was worth mentioning. It was just a burst of emotions not a thought out opinion of a cold, calculating mind. A mind she fell in love with at first sight, more than three years ago during her visit at the National Science Competition.

"Could it be…? Oh dear," she taught, "I did quite a number on his hypothalamus."

She contemplated the fact and decided _that_ might have not been a mistake. She loved to play with men who weren't afraid to speak their minds.

"So what if you died? I would have found another. One without a foul mouth."

"There's no one better than me."

She actually felt butterflies in her stomach.

"Yes," she thought and concealed her victorious smile, "yes, this is good."

That strong, assertive stare of his was the best thing ever. It openly told her she didn't need fear to subdue him anymore. He was truly hers. If there were still some parts of him resisting they were doing it in a way that only helped her cause and Tao was not aware of it. All those trifling parts of him that could risk the beauty of her final product will soon be lost.

There was another reason why she wanted him to take the pills. Once the off switches are installed there will be no need for the pills. She wanted to use the time before she installs them, because not only will his body be asleep when Tao turns himself off with the switch but his brain too, which pauses the further evolution of his thought process. It's too early to hit the brakes on it.

On the other hand, the pills were not a strong enough sedative to rest his mind alongside his body. And that was perfect. The more his brain works the more trivial sides of Tao will be erased. He needed to know _her_ and the knowledge _she_ provided – everything else was irrelevant. She just had to nurture his personality a bit more so that he'll grow into a person who'll know exactly how to use and protect his knowledge.

"Ah… Yes, he'll be perfect," she thought to herself, "the _only_ _one_ perfect like that."

"I'm _Tao_. The only one." With those final strong words Tao turned his head towards the ceiling. He was done. He said it all. It was the truth. It was a _fact_ she needed him. And they both knew it. She was controlling him, but now, he was controlling some of her too.

Her hand with a pink pill in it moved into his view. She waved with it playfully trying to be funny. He blinked and opened his mouth. Dr Aris stood up when he swallowed it and wished him good night.

Tao gazed at the ceiling, waiting for the drug to kick in. Soon enough, his muscles were relaxing and he felt his body getting heavier while his eyes felt hot and wet. Lukewarm drops formed on his eyelashes and trembled with his silent breath. Quiet tears gathered between his swollen eyelids and when the pain was too much to bare, Tao let them roll down his temples unbidden.

In the approaching darkness there were voices and pictures of places he's never been to before.

(Let's find a nice one.)

Tao realised some time ago that he enjoyed traveling. Seeing beautiful places was perhaps the only thing he liked to experience in the screenings. They felt so real and close, yet so far away. (Let's go… to Beijing.) How wonderful it would be to actually see it one day in person. Or any other city, really. Mountains, rivers, streets and factories. All he knew were labs and empty rooms.

There was a surprise for him, she said. What was it? A gift? Was she telling the truth? That would be the first time he ever got a gift.

 _"Maybe… Maybe she'll let me visit some of the real world. If I become the best, perhaps I'll be allowed to walk the streets, eat some junk food and hang out with the crowd like all those people from the images do. Maybe she'll let me be normal… to meet some normal people… who are not insane. If I make some friends I wouldn't feel so lonely… and insane._

" _I wouldn't need_ _ **her**_ _."_

Just before he passed out, Tao made a solemn oath to himself to do everything in his power to escape this place.

* * *

Takeo woke up with the worst headache in his life. That was partly because someone decided to shove a foot in his face. Covering his nose, he rolled on the floor growling in pain… which disappeared in two seconds.

(What the…?)

That never happened before. Stronger kicks created greater suffering; this one was nowhere near weak, yet it was like he never felt it. Takeo had a lot of experience with taking a beating and when it came to kicks he couldn't _not_ compare.

"Oh, did I disturb your beauty sleep, princess?" Takeo heard a high-pitched grunt above him. He didn't recognise the voice. The initial buzzing in his ears was dying down when the harsh bark of "Get the fuck up!" rang out in one aggressive note.

Takeo registered a heavy shoe coming towards him. He scrambled to his feet trying to dodge it even though the kick was coming fast. Too fast in fact. He made a step and slammed into the wall that was five meters away. He was sure that was the distance, but… Takeo fell right on his back holding his broken nose. (What the hell? Where did the wall come from?)

Shark missed. In the blink of an eye, the Asian kid moved and flew at the wall. That was fast. Too fast for Shark to see the run. It was like the kid disappeared for a moment just to reappear again far away from him.

"Alright, so little shit is quick on his feet," Shark thought. "No biggy. I'm still stronger."

Takeo examined his bloody palm. He was sure he heard a crack in the root of his nose, but the next thing he knew, his nose fixed itself.

(The hell?!)

He stood up, wobbling a bit and leaning on the wall. He wanted to stay calm, collect his thoughts, order his memories, look around and see where he was when his peripheral vision picked up another dangerous movement coming at two o'clock. Takeo ran so fast he hit another wall, managing to stay on his feet this time. He was holding his hurting head, feeling dizzy. Something was wrong with his stomach too. (Wait,don'tpanic!)

Shark spat angrily. He made quite a wide dent into the metal wall, far bigger from the last few times. He was getting a hang of his new strength.

"Still missed, tough," Shark thought. "Ok, so little shit is _really_ fast. And his reaction time is mind boggling."

Shark was not that fast, but he was _super_ -fast in comparison to normal humans. How the hell did the Asian brat know when Shark was coming for him? And from which direction? The good news was, the brat was obviously having difficulties with his abilities. Shark wondered if the brat was even aware that his uncontrolled speed was causing him to crash into walls.

"He can see me coming, but he can't see the wall which isn't even moving," Shark seethed inwardly. "What a dumbass."

"Don't panic, it's ok, you just overlooked the wall. Twice," Takeo thought.

Before Takeo could take a breath his legs moved on their own, running again. There was a man with curly black hair raising his leg in slow motion. The man was getting further and further away, his presence becoming smaller and foggy. Takeo glanced on the side and saw a grey metal wall about ten meters away. It was moving strangely… Actually it wasn't moving at all, just staying weirdly in place. Takeo was sure _that_ was not what's supposed to happen.

Beside the wall was another man. A brawny man with a scar on his face. The man blinked. In slow motion. Suddenly the wall popped like a balloon right in front of Takeo's eyes. He ordered his legs to stop. Either they were too quick or his command was too slow. (How can any of those two possibilities sound normal?)

In the corner of the grey flatness there was something approaching in high speed. His leg changed direction before he even constructed a thought of evasion. Another wall popped up and his feet hit the floor hard. He felt his body turning, the room spinning like he was on a roller-coaster and then his feet slid across the floor. Takeo stopped moving when his back hit the cold wall behind him.

Takeo's breath was caught in his throat. From the corner of his eye he saw the brawny man open his eyes again, as if he was in the process of blinking this whole time. His hand was in the air. Was that the thing Takeo saw coming at him from the side? (No way.)

Then his stomach churned in an unpleasant way. The space was moving in normal speed... (Normal? So… what about slow motion? Was that him? Was he… moving too fast?) Something inside Takeo told him that's probably true since his stomach felt like it was trying to catch up to him. It seemed like he dropped it somewhere along the way. Takeo bent over, nausea hitting him faster than he could think: "Shit."

Krantz shook his head in annoyance when Takeo threw up. He turned to Shark who was laughing like a maniac.

"Yuri picked up a real nutjob this time," Krantz thought. "No matter, those are the easiest to handle once you put them in their place."

Shark was obviously impatient to show his new powers and doing so prove he's high up in the food chain. He was acting like a desperate child, which wasn't surprising considering Krantz already mopped the floor with him. (Shark tried to pull the same shit with Krantz he was trying now with Takeo. It didn't work, of course. Krantz was way more evolved and had full control of his abilities and more than enough experience using them.)

"Letting those two beat each other up would be entertaining to watch at another time, when both of them had their abilities in check. Giving Shark too much freedom early on could lead to problems, especially if it meant hurting one of the DA5 subjects," Krantz mulled over the possibilities.

The project was already taking long; destroying a subject with potential and valuable skills will be a great setback. Not to mention Dr Aris would flip. (Not that Takeo was fragile, it's just that they were expected to be careful since they were all a bit unstable after enhancing. Takeo's newly developed speed could ruin him if not supervised.)

Taking care of soldiers was Krantz's expertise. Training and disciplining them was his job, as Dr Aris had informed him. Yuri will be there if Krantz needed help, she had said.

Needless to say, that pissed the hell out of Krantz. He wanted to flatten that ugly face of his every time the blonde opened his posh mouth. Krantz was not stupid, though. Yuri was on another level and therefore not to be messed with.

"Only until I eat these fools. We'll see who's under who then," Krantz thought with a smirk, before finally uttering aloud:

"You take another step, Shark, and I'll cut your leg off."

Shark pulled back. He had a very good poker face, not dropping the sneer of his face for a second.

Takeo couldn't remember the last time he felt this sick. He emptied the whole content of his stomach, which was inexplicably mostly sour fluids and water.

"Where's the sandwich I had this morning?" He taught and then mentally kicked himself. "Takeo, you idiot, what are you thinking about in a situation like this? Can't you read the atmosphere? Don't you remember you were in a water tank the last time you opened your eyes?"

(Shit. That was not a dream?) The curly man was also in a tank and there was another… armless guy with white hair. He was not in the room, but the curly man _was_ and he was attacking him in a way that reminded Takeo of a blondie that beat the crap out of him. This time, however, Takeo managed to escape… with unfathomable speed. He was fast, faster- Too fast… for a _human_. Takeo didn't believe in magic and aliens.

What did they do to him?

"Enhancing went pretty well I see." The brawny man with a scar said in English. Was he with the blond guy?

"I just need my knife and I'm all set for work," grinned the other one.

Takeo winced at the sound of his voice. That was not a normal high-pitched voice. It stabbed his ears, it was like someone was scratching their nails on the blackboard and had it played over and over again on a speaker right next to him. It was too loud… Too close, even though the man spoke normally. It echoed and got mixed up in other odd sounds that Takeo never noticed before.

Krantz took a step and it banged in Takeo's head as if Krantz weighed a ton. The shoe clanged and Takeo hid his ears with his hands. It didn't help one bit. He could still hear footsteps. Footsteps from upstairs… and downstairs. Padding from behind the door of this room. (A door?)

When did he see the door? He had no idea, but he knew exactly where it was, how far and big it was and how many locks it had. It was a thick metal door with three locks, one of which needed a card to be unlocked. The room was empty with no windows, ten metres high with a radius of fifteen meters. How the hell did he even know this stuff? Did he really see all this during his fast running and didn't notice till now?

Takeo didn't think much about it, because his head split down the middle from sudden pain. There were people outside of the room making conversation and Takeo tuned in on it like he was a radio and somebody was adjusting the stations with no regard to his well-being whatsoever. Takeo recoiled to the side when Krantz came closer.

"What is it?" The man asked not as politely as you would expect. It sounded like screaming in Takeo's ears.

"Ugh… What… what's happening to me?" He blurted in bad English.

"Your abilities are waking up," Krantz explained. "Super speed and strength, hyper awareness and many other things you'll discover soon."

"Abili… wha…? The blond…?"

"His name is Yuri. He brought you two here two months ago."

"Ha! Time flies, doesn't it? No wonder my wound healed," Shark said with a bit of Italian accent you'd come across in an American gangster movie.

"Your wounds will heal ten times faster now; your bodies have been modified."

"Modi…fy?" It was too confusing for Takeo.

"Basically, Takeo, you're a super soldier now. Ever read comics? Or… manga? As you say." Krantz frowned at him and continued with the prepared introduction, not waiting for Takeo to answer. "Listen up both of you. You were chosen to be a part of an experiment better known as DA5 project. You are test subjects modified by Dr Aris. From now on, you are the property of the organisation called the Union and as such, you will obey the Elders' every command. All you ever knew, all you ever possessed, the life you thought you had doesn't exist anymore. Your lives begin right here and will also _end_ here. How long you last depends on your performance. I advise you to do as told and not think too much, because if you try something fishy there will be a hell to pay. You have no idea what this place and its people are capable of and the less you know the better for the greater good of the project. _Don't_ provoke. Did I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," said Shark.

"Mm… Wait," Takeo pointed at himself in shock. "There's a mistake. Mistake, this is… I'm ordinary… I was in Sapporo and a man… I didn't apply…!"

"Zip it princess, nobody asked you for an opinion."

"This is a mistake! I want- I demand to go back!" Takeo suddenly stood up. "Your boss… Supervisor! I demand to speak to him!"

Takeo barely managed to dodge Krantz's fist. He slammed in the wall with his back and saw the next one coming, but was too slow to avoid it. Krantz hit his throat almost choking him to death. He grabbed his neck and banged him in the wall. Takeo gasped as the man's grip tighten so he couldn't breathe anymore. His head was ringing from something cracking under Krantz's steal-hard fingers.

"For someone with super hearing, you're not listening very carefully." Krantz was cold as ice. "You are the Union's new weapon and they will use you as they see fit. You don't have a say in it so I don't wanna hear it."

Krantz pulled him up with no effort. Takeo couldn't reach the ground anymore. He was on a brink of blacking out. How he stayed awake with a broken neck he had no clue.

"You were chosen for this Takeo, so you better accept it. If you don't forget about the life outside these walls the Union also won't forget about those people in Sapporo. Yamamoto Koichi, was it? Sugimoto Mimi, Miyako Rin? All those people with hilarious names are on the Union's watch list and if you don't behave as expected of a pet, they might end up joining you."

(What in the world…? What the hell? What is this Union?)

Takeo never heard of it before.

Krantz let him go and he fell on the floor coughing. It took him a while till his neck fixed itself and allowed him to breathe again. It seems his modified body could work for some time even without oxygen which was disturbing.

What in God's name did they do to him? What were they doing to him for two months? The police should have found him by now. Koichi-san reported him missing, there was no doubt. He might have not noticed Takeo was gone, but not getting the newspapers he had ordered? He'd be pissed.

Nobody came to save him.

"Did I make myself clear this time?"

Save him from what? What's going on?

(Why are you so surprised, Takeo?)

Tama-san was the only person ever to save him and even _he_ gave up on him in the end.

"No… no, don't, this is not the time, this is… What…?" Takeo's mind was swirling.

"I'm the leader of our little group. I'm in charge of your training starting today. You may call me Krantz."

(What's going on?)

* * *

 **Author's notes part 2 – chapter 7**

Wow, this chapter was a huge one. Well, it is somewhat of a turning point in the story.

Hope you enjoyed! Leave some comments!

See you soon!


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

 _"I don't need her."_

After the enhancing, it took Tao by surprise how easy it became for him to adapt to the speed and the amount of material shoved in his face during 'muscle training'. He tossed away the idea of the sessions being anything but painful long ago. No matter how much he trusted- had been _made_ to trust that woman and her constant convincing that he'd now quite _like_ the experience; he couldn't escape the feeling of being played. With his mind clear now, he had no doubt she didn't care for his pain. (She didn't truly care about him either, she just needed him, like any child needs its special toy.)

Tao _was_ special and he meant to keep it that way. As long as his successes pleasured her, he would stay alive, and as long as he was alive, there was a chance… A slim one, but a chance still, to be free someday, to be let outside in the normal world. Because there must have been a reason for all this training.

Usually when you prepare so vigorously someone for a long periods of time, you plan to use him – and his hardly earned qualities – for _something_. If you take into account the… "sensitivity" of the matter Tao was studying, you'd have to wonder just like him: what role will he play in this obscure institution. What was the role and the ambitions of this organisation in the first place? How did it acquire all the knowledge Tao now possessed? What was its intentions teaching him all that… dangerous stuff which enabled him to ruin half of the world in one afternoon?

Contrary to his beliefs, the continuation of the inputs really was an enjoyable experience, exactly like she had asserted. Instead of feeling like thousands of nails were pounded in his eardrums when myriad of voices would start talking around him, he would smile because he could now put them on hold, mute them and control the volume of their speech depending on the urgency of the content they were presenting. Nothing would go unnoticed and unrecorded, but there was no mindless shouting.

Once an ordeal, sorting out the pictures of all kinds would now hit him with adrenalin rush. It was so easy to file them; the knowledge effortlessly sticking to the old one. This enabled him to split his mind. It was as if one part was collecting pictures, and the other guzzling down the never-ending texts.

As the number of sessions grew, he had discovered his thirst for knowledge was unquenchable.

 _More and more_ , his soul pleaded because he was strong, stronger than the input, quicker than the output. _He_ was in control and _he_ ruled over this vast knowledge, not the other way around. He felt so mighty, he'd sometimes dare to laugh arrogantly to the screen thinking: "Is this all you've got? If so, I don't need you anymore, I can find out about things by myself."

Not once did Tao think splitting his mind was a strange notion. It came naturally to him, as would a man, confronted by a too wide hole in the ground, think of building a bridge to cross to the other side. Not only did he employ different parts of his brain to deal with the different types of information, but in doing so, also made it possible to think about the info, discuss about it with the other parts and decompose it so he could search for more detail in order to fully build his view on the topic.

He started connecting things, putting them into relation, and he began to run his "what if" scenarios in the real world he saw from the screenings. (What if you activate a bomb in the subway, what if you set off an alarm in the building, what if you kidnap the president, what if you release the virus, what if you forge data, what if you publish a confidential footage…? How do people react to this? How do you control the crowd?)

It was like a phenomena for him, exploring the results of his little imaginary test runs of certain scenarios engraved deeply into his sub-conscience. He had no clue how he came up with so many scenarios or whether he would ever do such things in reality; however, he didn't spend too much time thinking about it, because predicting people's reactions and acting on them was so much fun. It was like a video game he saw teenagers playing on the security footage of various internet cafes and he had a feeling that he was a truly good player even by a normal world's standards. A powerful one who would always win.

And as long as he was a winner he was _irreplaceable_.

Tao couldn't remember the last time he experienced genuine happiness. Since his "work" now acquired less concentration, he could spend some quality time with the broadcasts of cities and its denizens. A small piece of his mind would go through the stored videos and stand in awe of their beauty. The outside was indeed majestic and he would often find himself daydreaming about strolling down the streets, feeding pigeons in the park and drinking soda in front of a convenience store.

 _"Ah… How nice it would be to compete with other kids in the cafes."_ Tao wondered whether he could make some normal friends. (He proved to be a skilled player, at least as far as strategy games go, always winning in his "what ifs".)

 _"I guess other kids would be glad to have me in their team."_

"Use me… Use me quickly," he begged to the empty room. He was ready to do absolutely anything to prove he would use the knowledge he obtained to do her bidding. (That is, as long as it meant he was free to leave this wretched place.)

Tao will be most efficient, because of how clever he is; he'll have some spare time to try and fit in with ordinary people. It would be a bliss just to mingle with the crowd and start a conversation with his peers. (Tao knew everything about anything so chitchatting shouldn't be a big deal, right?) And one day, when he completely blends in, he won't need _her_.

" _I don't need her. I need_ _people_ _. Normal people with ordinary aspirations, who like to have fun and discuss about things. I need peers with similar likes… or different likes… someone similar to me, or not. Just_ _someone_ _who'd see myself and not a toy computer."_

(Myself?)

( _My_ self?)

* * *

He gasped, waking up from a few hours of fitful sleep. He looked around the room just to make sure he was awake, since his dreams tended to be sometimes more real than the days spent here. Tao didn't hallucinate anymore, but his dreams became more vivid than they were before. Instead of shelving the information, he now had actual dreams… about information.

Tao noticed the drool slipping from his mouth and reflexively wanted to rub it off.

 _"Ha? What the…?_ _ **What?!**_ _I-I had it, right? I did! How… When did this_ _ **happen**_ _? Where's my… ah…! Ah… ha… oh… right… that woman. That_ _ **woman**_ _."_

Tao grit his teeth and turned over, pushing himself up with his forehead. (Pondering over his new endurance and strength was an activity he stopped doing a long time ago. He accepted all of the unusual abilities and emotions as side effects of enhancing.)

Tao was changed. From the core.

 _"Myself…"_ The word kept popping up in his head as he brushed his face on the pillow.

 _"Myself."_ He was sitting on the bed remembering the kids from the internet cafes.

"Kids…" Tao murmured, his thoughts scattered across the streets looking for something, not knowing what it was, but if he saw it with his own eyes he'd recognise it.

 _Your appearance won't change._

 _"Why is it then, that among all the people, among all those faces, I can't find the one I'm looking for?"_

Tao desperately shut his eyes to concentrate. He needed to reduce the number of faces he was inspecting. It will be easier that way to presume which face was his even if he couldn't remember it quite well.

(How old are you, Tao?) His mind went blank in an instant and made his stomach churn. _"No,"_ he shook his head, _"don't worry, that was a wrong question."_

(How long have you been here?) No light bulbs lit in the still darkness of his mind and Tao twitched. _"Approximately five months… since the enhancing? I think."_ But there were no shining dots in the black he could connect.

(Where do you come from?) The query ended with a sudden throb, which spread through a steady line across his scalp. He bowed down, his head now held between his knees, a sudden need to hide stronger than discomfort of the position.

"You're ok," he comforted himself, his body shivering in cold sweat.

(You're ok.)

When he finally settled down, Tao decided to first gather all the things _not_ lacking information and then ask questions about the unknown. He rested his head on his knee and started thinking.

 _"I'm a human and I'm male,"_ Tao thought and the statement was presented without any hesitation. It was a fact, so why was Tao not moving on to the next one? His eyes wandered off to his bare feet, which looked like human feet with five human toes on each foot, and they were all attached to two human legs dressed in grey sweatpants. So… he had pale skinny legs, and was wearing what other people wore. (Ok. That's a start.)

His gaze ended on his crotch and remained there. He had an undying need to touch it and make sure of something. Tao found himself in a strange predicament feeling the hotness in his cheeks. Was he… embarrassed? No. Ashamed. He was _ashamed_. Of what exactly? His mind continued to be of no help, offering only emptiness.

"My name is Tao." He said out loud and concluded his voice sounded as if it could belong to a male. It wasn't as gruff and as deep as most of the men's he met during inputs, but it was undoubtedly way different from any woman's, and that made him relax a little. At least his instincts weren't wrong.

One question lingered, however, not giving him peace until he answered it.

 _"How do I look like?"_

There was no way to find out without a mirror and he had none. Maybe he could ask her politely to bring him one?

 _"I don't_ _ **need**_ _her!"_

Tao kept tossing and turning in bed trying to fall asleep and forget about all of this mess he created for himself. It slipped his mind that there was a deeper meaning in not wanting to think about the redhead.

That woman stopped visiting him a month ago.

That _never_ happened. She was always there whether Tao wanted her to be close or not, and now, when at last he showed his excellence and how obedient a pet he could be, she decided to deprive him of her presence. Why? Wasn't she pleased? She was smiling the last time he saw her. Did he do something to make her mad? What?

 _"How long is she gonna stay angry? She'll forgive me, right? I'll apologise,_ _I swear. Why isn't she coming to hear my apology?"_

(Shut it, Tao, you don't need her!)

 _"But why? Why isn't she here? Doesn't she care about her successful experiment? Could she have found another guinea pig?_

 _"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no… No, it can't be! I'm special! I'm Tao, the best and only,_ _only_ _one like this in the_ _entire_ _Union! I'm irreplaceable! I'm going outside to prove it! Me!_ _ **I**_ _am gonna go to the normal world and then, and then…"_

(Shut it, shut up!)

"Shut up!" Tao roared and jerked violently to the side.

 _"Shit!_ _ **Shit!**_ _Could it be? What if she found someone else… without a foul mouth? But, I was so docile for the past few months, how dare she betray me like this! What's she gonna do… what's gonna happen to me?"_

(Death.)

Tao felt goose bumps all over his skinny body. (But, but he can't die, not like this. What about the outside? What about the normal world? Wasn't he supposed to be sent there? Won't all this pain and suffering have a _meaning_ then?)

"How could you, how could you… do this… to me… To leave me _alone_!" Tao was wheezing with his teeth clenched hard. "I did _everything_ … you've asked…! Where the hell are you?!"

 _"Where…? Where are you when I need you? I need you right now, so what are you doing? I just realised I don't know what my face looks like and you do, you touch it all the time, so you need to tell me, you need to touch it so I can feel it and know! Because if I don't know… I can't… I need a face… you need a face, humans need their faces! I can't without a face…! No one will talk to me if I don't have a face!"_

"Give it back!" Tao's head started to hurt. He was kicking air with his legs, like a child having a tantrum. "I won't die! You'll be sorry if I die! You can't… without me! _Give it back!_ "

(Stop it, Tao, shut up! You idiot, if she wanted you dead she wouldn't be still feeding you!)

 _"But she's not the one feeding me anymore!"_

(So what, are you a baby to need to be fed like one? Besides, eating pills is better than those ghastly looking soups.)

 _"So I won't starve to death. Good for me! Instead, I'll just die out of loneliness!"_

Tao was staring at the ceiling teary eyed, his heart thrumming in his ears.

(What the…? You a girl or something? What nonsense are you spouting?)

"Shut up." Tao closed his eyes letting a tear slide down his cheek.

(You're completely insane if you think that woman is your friend. She's keeping you company, just so that she can further brainwash you and use you.)

 _"Well, she's not doing any of it anymore, because she's not here, is she?"_

(And look how that's affecting you! She's doing the brainwashing even when she's not here! You're doing the job _for_ her! Hell, you're ready to live with all this bullshit just so you can go out and have a soda? Are you fucking kidding me? You're not dumb, so stop acting like it. Don't you know what she'll make you do with all the info you gobbled up like a drug addict? She's gonna make you kill hundreds of people you find so fascinating! She'll make you destroy all those wonderful places you wish to see, and you'll do it, because you're pathetic and weak and can't make a difference between a lie and a truth. That bitch was lying from day one! She _took_ your _arms_ or have you forgotten?)

"Shut the hell up! You don't know how I feel!" Tao repressed his sadness.

(Oh, and you do? Don't make me laugh, you pussy! You think going outside and meeting normal people will make you normal? You think you'll be able to become one of them and not feel lonely? Are you nuts? Just look at you, you limbless freak! Heck, even if you weren't chopped up, you'd still be a freak! Aren't you aware of your mind, of the way you think, of the things you know and think about? Don't you feel how odd your body is? You think anyone in their right mind will _chitchat_ with you?)

 _"Stop it."_

(You're not a human, Tao.)

 _"You're wrong!"_

(You're a machine! A _machine_ , Tao, a high tech walking and talking processor! You're not a human, you'll _never_ be a human. And when she makes you _kill_ , you'll become a monster too.)

Tao opened his mouth to fight it. Nothing, however, left his lips. He continued to lay in his bed and stare at the ceiling thinking deeply about something.

"I don't care," came a whisper from the corner of his mouth.

(You don't _care_ , Tao?)

"If it means leaving this hell, I don't care." The whisper was left with no emotion.

(You don't care about killing?)

"I'll go out and meet someone."

(And _kill_ them.)

"Still, I'll visit many places… Try living in some… I can taste different cuisines, check if I have a preference or an allergy… and I can always watch people from afar and learn their customs… See if I can be like them. I can still be free."

The voice took some time to give its opinion on the statement. In the end, it said that the freedom Tao wished for was an illusion.

"But I'll find out who I am."

(By then, you'll be a murderer.)

"There's no other way," Tao said after a long silence.

(You can always bite your tongue off and die.)

"I don't want to die," Tao uttered quietly, the numbness leaving him.

(Didn't you have enough?)

"But, why must I die? It's not fair, I don't deserve it." His lips curved as if he was trying to suppress a sob.

(You think people you'll kill will deserve it?)

"But, I tried so hard to endure it!"

(Maybe you shouldn't have.)

"I don't want to die!" Angry tears were rolling down his face. "There are so many things I want to do, to try… To feel! I don't want to give up when there's still hope! There's a chance all of this will make sense someday! I can't die now when I've finally became the best!" A small smile flashed on his red face. "And the present! There's a surprise for me, she'll give me a gift. I just have to wait and be good. That's… that's probably why she hasn't been visiting. She was too busy with the present."

Half way through Tao's excuses to stay alive the voice started to snicker. By the end of Tao's list of lousy reasons, the laughter became so loud, Tao felt pure terror for the first time in so long. His face twitched in an unfamiliar way. The wry smile on his face spread and strange giggles formed at the bottom of his throat.

He almost gagged when the first chuckle left his pale lips. The second and the third one were far stronger than the first and soon his body trembled in the rhythm of his broken breathing. The cute laughter was contiguous and it grew into an unstoppable guffaw, which filled the barren room with chill.

Tao was laughing at himself and _it felt good_.

Tao was such a wise, well-educated person, yet he was so very dumb and immature. Tao loved humans and hated them enough to sacrifice them for his own benefit. He was brave to try new things, yet he didn't like abandoning habits. He was tenacious and stubborn, and powerless and pathetic. Tao was full of contradictions, which made him almost human. Made him almost as fun as they were.

Tao loved humans because they were fun.

It was alright to be this way. He was ok.

* * *

When Dr Aris entered the room, Tao was still laughing quietly to himself.

She observed this intriguing behaviour until she got bored. She cleared her throat and Tao stiffened at the sudden noise. His head reluctantly emerged from between his knees. Dr Aris narrowed her eyes when Tao rushed to the edge of the bed just to – rather abruptly – stop and sit down. If Tao had fingers, he would be biting his nails right about now. The boy watched her with his huge black eyes like a puppy trying to stop itself from jumping in the lap of its owner. A well-hidden smirk appeared on her face as she took a step closer.

"How's my pretty boy, hmm?" Dr Aris asked contentedly, not really in need for an answer.

"I mi…" Tao's voice disappeared before he could finish. He swallowed the lump and looked the other way. She was beside him now and his hair was wide open for patting, yet she didn't seem to understand his hurried gesture.

"Aw… I missed you too." She licked her glossy lips as if she was in the middle of finishing the extra tasty dish she herself had cooked. She took a hold of his frozen shoulders and leaned over so she could whisper directly to his ear. "Remember the surprise I mentioned? Well, it's done."

 _"I knew it. She needs me, I'm still precious to her. I'll be free soon."_ Those were the only thoughts circling in his mind.

Dr Aris blinked in surprise when the boy turned in her grip and gave an armless hug. His body relaxed in an instance while his head rested on her chest. It was hilarious actually. She would have laughed hard if he weren't so damn cute.

"Ha… Are you _that_ glad? Then again, you should be, I worked day and night for this." She returned the hug, tangling her fingers in his tar hair.

This was the first time she was so gentle. Was this strange sensation nothing more than the product of his imagination or was her touch different because she wasn't wearing the gloves she always had on her?

Whatever it was, it soothed him immensely, wishing she would caress more of his face. As if she could read his childish mind, her hand slinked through his tousled head and patted his ear and jaw.

His ear… it was like a human's, he could feel it, and his jawline was sharp. He had a small chin and cheeks with no baby fat at all. Temples, which were bony and a forehead, concealed beneath the short bangs that felt soft. Her warm hand rested over his eyes and he thought he could fall asleep. His eyelashes were sharp, his eyes big and round and further down his face was an ordinary nose. Just like in a human.

"So, don't you dare die on the table." The threat in her husky whisper was not heard.

Tao was preoccupied with her fingers playing with his thin lips. His face consisted of all the elements normal humans had. He won't scare them off and if he was lucky enough, he will be able to blend in. She always called him pretty for some reason and humans judged each other by their physical look. His heart pounded happily at the thought of being pretty. Pretty people were liked.

"My appearance…" Tao mumbled sleepily. "It didn't change?"

Dr Aris cocked her head to the side. "I said it wouldn't, didn't I? Oh, but, since we're on the topic… Hmm, let me see."

She pulled his head up and grabbed him by the neck. She released his hair and pushed down his eyelids carelessly. His eyes were still black as the night. At first she didn't like the fact they were always swollen, with nasty-coloured bags under them, but now, alongside his pale complexion, she found this combination haunting and quite thrilling. She was almost jealous he will be looking other people beside her with such eyes.

She will have to think about the possibility of adding some colour.

Another thing turned out to be unexpectedly sensual. The boy's hair turned to his original black except for one little part up front. It vexed her when she realised her experiment had failed; still, there was nothing more rewarding than a _good_ mistake. She'll have to be cautious in choosing the hairdo. It will have to match one of the clothing styles she picked out from her favourite fashion magazine.

She nodded sure of herself. "Yes… I think I'll manage. Now, Tao, we need to talk about this surprise of yours."

She let him go and he had to regrettably move away from her.

"For this one to work, you'll need to sleep."

Tao mentally flinched. "Will the surprise hurt?"

"Ha! Don't be silly, you'll be sleeping! Mind you, it could be painful after you wake up, but that's just a minor detail. Anyway, you won't sleep for a long time. About a week or so. We have a big job ahead of us, it will take us some time to make everything work accordingly."

"Wh-What's the surprise?" He asked shyly.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you." An ugly wrinkle accompanied her sneer.

What came next out of his mouth was barely audible, Dr Aris thought she imagined it.

"Ha ha ha, right."

She payed attention to his fallen gaze and the suppressed shiver. His expression became flat.

"Well then, without further ado." She instructed him to lay down, which he did. She took out the syringe and Tao immediately closed his eyes. "Hmm, I wonder if I'm being too lenient with you. You're a grown man, and I'm still going out of my way to please you and your whims." She thrust in the needle. "Can't stand the tube, can't stand the big needles, can't stand the pain, can't stand the pills and drugs and soups and all the preparation… _So demanding_."

Dr Aris was pushing the yellow liquid slowly in his body while Tao was biting the insides of his mouth. The drug stung like nothing before. He could feel it spreading through his veins, paralysing him in a second.

"This is a drug used only on enhanced humans. Ordinary sedatives won't work properly on you anymore." She pulled the needle out. "It reacts directly with your marked cells creating faster effect. You won't regain consciousness until the anti-drug is administrated."

The burning web enveloped his lungs and heart forcing it to stop beating. The hot threads squeezed his heart from all its lively juices and left a dry rag in its place. He stopped breathing before he lost the ability to see.

Dr Aris glanced at her watch. "You'll be out in three, two…"

* * *

 **Author's notes – chapter 8**

Some fun facts (that you probably already know):

 _Stockholm syndrome_ is a condition that causes hostages to develop a psychological alliance with their captors as a survival strategy during captivity. Typically, Stockholm syndrome develops in captives when they engage in "face-to-face contact" with their captors, as well as when captors make captives doubt the likelihood of their survival by aggressively terrorising them into helpless, powerless, and submissive states. This enables captors to appear to be nice people when they perform acts of kindness, or fail to beat, abuse, or rape the victims. The victim's need to survive is stronger than his impulse to hate the person who has tortured them.

Some drabble:

I found this chapter really interesting to write, because I think all of our ex humans had their moral codes crushed and they had to deal with what will become their new "normality" in life. The first one to crack in my story is Tao, obviously, since he was (not counting Krantz) the first to meet Dr Aris. He spent the most time with her, completely isolated from the world and stripped of his memories. Writing his inner turmoil was amusing since I finally got to officially introduce his trademarked _Ha ha ha_. Tao may still not fully resemble the Tao we know from the comic, but he's getting there.

As I said long ago, I think Tao developed some fascinating coping mechanisms, one of which is his nervous laughter. From what I gathered, he uses this laughter in the comic in: situations he can't quite grasp as quickly in order to adapt (even though he adapts pretty fast, he was still laughing like a maniac when he was in Franky's house for the first time, for example) or in situations he can't quite handle on his own; at times he behaves foolishly or unorthodox (for example those funny moments when his tongue is quicker than his brain); when he makes a mistake. The laughter always serves as a means of drawing attention from his minor panic attack. It gives time for his super brain to find a solution… at least that's how it looks to me.

On the side note, I think Tao really does like humans because they're fun. His first impression of Ikhan was _He's fun_. Ikhan played a game with him and Tao was hooked. And Ikhan was all like _He stopped attacking when I lost connection. Did he just attack me for fun?_ (Or, did he attack to see how Ikhan will react? Hmm? Hmmmm?)

So yeah, this is a theory I've invented. Hope you're enjoying it as much as I do. Till next time!


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

 _You are the Union's new weapon and they will use you as they see fit. You don't have a say in it so I don't wanna hear it._

Even after three months of experiencing things he thought could never happen – even in the most creative and wild of dreams, after spending time with people he thought could exist only in movies and after being forced to forfeit the right to speak in his mother tongue except when ordered to – Takeo still believed all of _this_ was too ridiculous to be even remotely true.

It wasn't a dream, though; Takeo was not imaginative enough to invent the world he was currently stuck in. (Pinching himself every day to make sure persuaded him he was fully awake.)

He wasn't high on narcotics, either. One of the first lessons Tama-san had given him was about drug intake. They had had a long stroll around the neighbourhood visiting local junkies, most of which were regular customers of Tama-san and his group. The sight of scrawny white men with blurry eyes gazing at empty space, squirming in their bile and limping into walls left a strong impression on Takeo. There was no need for Tama-san to explain the details; the ban on entering the "pantry" and consuming the "merchandise" was more than enough. That being said, Takeo had no intention of ever taking drugs. He was unwilling even when it came to plain medicine such as aspirin. Yeah, Takeo was one of _those_ people.

The only poison he relished was nicotine. The smothering savour of cigarette smoke helped him through rough and lonely nights giving him excuse to why his eyes were watering whenever his thoughts wandered to dark places of his mind. Coming back to his cheap apartment after a long day of dish washing and finding cigarette butts in a can of soda made him feel almost at home.

The safe house was filled with butts of all kinds, the room was engulfed in stench. Despite all the garbage and god awful smell, people would gather around the big table to gamble and share stories. Tama-san was there too, an expensive cigarette in his hand, waiting for Arata-san to lend him the light. It puzzled Takeo how a non-smoker like Arata-san always had a lighter near at hand, while the boss never seemed to ever have one. The leader of the mob was a real nicotine addict, and his chain smoking had gotten worse over the years. When Takeo had declared his wish to try to be a cool adult like Tama-san, Arata-san looked askance at the boy.

"No." His order had been terse and quite sufficient. Takeo had brooded over this "veto" for weeks, feeling as he was missing out on something.

Takeo was not the one to break the rules no matter how much he didn't agree with them, so deciding to spend some of his pay for the pack of cigarettes was not to spite anyone. He was just… lonely. And Tama-san's mood would improve after a few smokes, so maybe, Takeo too will feel better.

It was disgusting. Just like the stink of that place. (The Yakuza boss must not have any taste buds left to keep inhaling this shit over and over again.) The stench did calm him, however, and Takeo now had one pack on him at all times. It soon became a habit to share a smoke with Koichi-san, which was always a pleasant activity. In the end, cigarettes provided him peace and Takeo was hooked in no time.

 _You were chosen for this Takeo, so you better accept it._

Darn it, he really… _really_ needed a smoke.

Takeo was a slow learner, so it surprised him how quickly he learnt… No. _R_ _emembered_ all the words and grammar of the English language. He didn't even have normal classes of the subject, yet he could now speak fluently, sounding almost as a native speaker. It had to do something with the speed his… modified brain acquired info making it easier for him to disappear into the crowd. It was a strange feeling, not _knowing_ the language, but just using the appropriate words and mimicking others. He was mostly yelled at during training sessions by Krantz, jeered at by Shark and silently observed by Hammer. Takeo rarely communicated with them, only when it was necessary and when he'd think it was logical to protest. None of his resisting bared fruit.

 _If you don't forget about the life outside these walls, the Union also won't forget about those people in Sapporo. Yamamoto Koichi, was it? Sugimoto Mimi, Miyako Rin? All those people with hilarious names are on the Union's watch list and if you don't behave as expected of a pet, they might end up joining you._

(Fuck. Was that even true? Were his friends really watched? Can they do something like that? Wasn't it illegal?)

 _"Takeo, you idiot,_ _ **all**_ _of this is illegal. Do you see cops anywhere? No. You probably won't see anyone abiding by the morals of the normal world here."_

But, why wasn't there any sign of a police raid? It's been months since his disappearance, hasn't anyone tried to find him? _Could_ they find him? Takeo himself didn't know where this freaking place was and if this _Union_ was as powerful as they claimed to be. Maybe there wasn't a way for ordinary police to do anything about the kidnapping.

Beside short lessons about modified humans, robots and sci-fi looking weapons, Krantz also shared some info about the Union, though nothing useful Takeo could utilise for his escape.

Apparently, the Union was way more… global and had friends in high places who funded experiments Takeo was now a part of. The rule of the Elders over the Union and its possessions, such as scientists, research material and data, was independent and even though their influence spread over the world governments and forces, their plans and agents were a well-kept secret from world leaders. Basically, the Union was everywhere… and nowhere.

And Takeo was supposed to just accept all this bullshit about him being _chosen_ to become a mindless pawn in their games? (Fuck them all to hell!)

They think they can just take his language away from him by letting Krantz beat him senseless whenever Takeo utters something that wasn't in English. (Ha!) Takeo can take the beating. If there was anything he was familiar with in his life it was pain, and he knew exactly how to protect himself from it.

It took Krantz a while to figure out the beating had no wanted effect on a dumbass like Takeo. The muscly man narrowed his eyes in annoyance one day when the wheezing kid with blood dripping down his chin smirked at him. The small victory tasted divine on Takeo's tongue, especially since Shark was staring at him mouth agape with no comment on the matter. And Hammer actually smiled, making that the first show of emotion since he got here.

 _"That's right. I don't care how hard you hit me, the truth is you don't want me dead. Otherwise you would have already gotten rid of me. Even when you_ _ **do**_ _get sick of me, I won't care. I'm not afraid to die. No one would be hurt by my death, either, so no harm done there._ _ **No one**_ _would miss me."_

"Have you forgotten?" Krantz asked him staying as poised as ever while he towered over him.

The members of the DA5 project were granted about six hours of sleep if they completed their tasks for the day as they were intended to. Takeo would often spend those nights restless, something gnawing at him relentlessly. He tried to figure out what it was, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Do you want your friends to join you? Maybe you do." Krantz tilted his head slightly to the side, letting his grey hair fall into his emotionless eyes. "Ah, but unlike us, they're not high quality meat. I doubt they'll survive our little practise."

Indignant. Yeah… that's the word. Takeo was _indignant_ , despite knowing how unreasonable that was. His _friends_ just _let_ this happen to him… and they were _still_ letting it happen to him. It hurt him more, because he knew how selfish it was of him to think like that.

There was no way anyone could help him, not even Tama-san and the whole of the Yakuza, yet Takeo still felt… abandoned and betrayed. He didn't deserve to be treated like this, it wasn't fair everybody decided to move on with their lives without him, just because he could be troublesome… Just because he was in trouble. Wasn't there anything about him that was worth fighting for even if it _was_ useless?

Takeo knew he wouldn't have given up on any of his friends if their places were reversed. (Hell, he _would_ have found them after so much time, even if he _couldn't_ , odds and probabilities be damned.) He would have done anything to bring them back home and protect them, so why wasn't there anyone in his life who'd do the same for him? He tried _so_ _hard_ not to get in the way, to be useful, to _please_ and not hurt others by making mistakes. Didn't he do _enough_? Was he asking too much? To be needed?

Takeo closed his eyes to calm himself and then continued to glare at Krantz who hasn't moved a muscle.

So, finally, the composed bastard understood he won't get anywhere by inflicting physical pain. Instead, he decided it was time to put another nail into the emotional coffin Takeo was trapped in. He had to hand it to him, Krantz picked a smart solution to the problematic behaviour, very smart indeed. Bravo.

Krantz was smarter than Takeo, because no matter how despondent Takeo was… No matter how much he was perhaps angry, he couldn't bear the thought of being the cause of someone else's suffering. And the older man knew it.

* * *

He almost cursed loudly in Japanese like he sometimes did when he wished to hit Krantz in the face. Just once would be enough. Unfortunately, Takeo may be the fastest man alive, but Krantz still managed to keep up with him and push him down.

He pushed all three of them down, even when they were attacking him all together. Shark complained he felt naked without his knifes and assured the rest of the DA5 he'd be the last man standing if he had his weapons. Something told Takeo nothing would change whether they had weapons on them or not. Krantz was just too much of a monster.

* * *

Nothing changed for almost three months now. Training their new skills made using them feel as natural as breathing; Takeo couldn't even remember how it felt to run and not break the sound barrier. It frightened him how normal it became to him to just make a click in his brain and suddenly hear the footsteps in the opposite wing of the building. He didn't know how the building looked like, nor how big it was, but he could draw a map in his head just by listening to people walking along corridors. It kept him awake at night, not being able to block out the noise… and his curiosity.

In the beginning it took a lot of strength and concentration to pick up all the sounds and understand them. It made his head hurt, leaving him with no sleep. The building was vast, too big to imagine, which made Takeo even more desperate to blueprint it. Every night he tried to hear more and more, breaking the yesterday's limit.

During that time he still believed there was a way to escape this wretched place. With every night he spent listening, he felt the task becoming more futile.

It didn't matter how fast Takeo was; this place was a maze and there was at least one monster – that he knew of – capable of catching him. It was frustrating, because Takeo got impression they made him fast but still slow enough for Krantz to grab him by the collar. The whole "practising with Krantz" drill aggravated him being that its sole purpose was to teach them they couldn't beat him, and therefore, can't escape. Not that Hammer or Shark gave an impression of wanting to be anywhere else. (What the hell was wrong with them anyway?)

Speaking of _wrong_ , Krantz didn't find Takeo's weariness during training amusing one bit. The worst part of it was that the prick somehow knew what the cause of it was.

"Do us both a favour, Takeo, and stop thinking you can outrun me." He almost sounded offended. "It's commendable that you exercise your super hearing at night. However, if you come to me tired again, I might have to call Dr Aris."

 _"You know what, it would be nice to finally meet the person who condemned me to this hell, so I can personally give my heartfelt thanks."_

"You think that's funny?" Krantz peered through him when a small smile formed in the corner of Takeo's lips. "You have no idea with whose patience you're playing. Brat."

 _"Oh… Shut up…"_

Takeo propped himself up on his elbows and slumped against the metal wall.

"Or maybe this little game of tag we've been having for the past couple of months isn't enough for a young man like you? Want me to pick it up a notch?" Krantz was starting to amuse himself, which in turn made Takeo's gut twist in an agonising way.

 _"I want to slap you. Just once."_

One more thing Takeo was fretting about more than usual was his constant desire for violence. The harder Krantz hit him the stronger the wish for a payback grew inside Takeo and the things he imagined himself doing to the man weren't something you should do to a fellow human… or anyone really. He _could_ do it, tough, he was fully capable now that he had these odd powers and something told him Krantz actually wanted him to release himself to the cravings of a feral animal trapped inside. It scared him to think what would happen if he succeeded in landing in a punch or two or three… or four or five.

It's been only three months and Takeo was falling apart at the seams, spending most of his time thinking about his father for some reason and that poor- _E_ _vil_ gossip girl from his school. What's going to happen to him if he doesn't flee from the Union?

"Yeah, how about it? Isn't it high time to get some weapons and field experience?" Shark cracked his bony fingers with a sneer on his face. "To be honest I miss some slashing practise. Maybe princess and I can have a first dance at the podium! See who's faster then!"

 _"That would still be me, you obnoxious piece of shit."_

Takeo curled his fingers into fists in dismay, because he still remembered the time he barely reacted to that lanky man's prodding. Now, however, every time Shark opened his mouth, Takeo wished he could sew it up tight forever. It took so much strength to restrain himself that he more often than not wondered why he was even trying.

"No one asked for your opinion, Shark. Then again, you might be right for once." Krantz didn't even look at him.

"Happy to oblige." Shark shrugged with a chuckle, and Takeo wanted to throw something at him. Something heavy. Hammer still had the same smile on his tanned, fat face. His staring was unnerving.

"Perhaps getting pounded to a wall, even with a gun pointed at a bare handed man, will make you convinced you should pay heed to my humble advice." Krantz said.

(A gun? Are they gonna give him a gun? Do they know what he can do with a gun?) Certainly… they probably even knew what he'll be able to do with it now, having been enhanced.

"A gun, ha? Ha! Could have guessed the princess was too bashful to get her hands dirty like a real man!" Shark snorted and Takeo's brow twitched.

"I see you're interested in giving it a go." Krantz fixed an earpiece in his left ear, pushing down some buttons. Couple of seconds later the metal plate in the wall scrolled down, letting a long row of white shelves roll into the room. They were equipped with a wide range of knives, explosives, guns and rifles, all meticulously placed and carefully designed.

"Take your pick." Krantz turned on his heel and walked away, leaving the three of them to mount themselves with weapons.

It looked like the trio made choices to their own liking, but it was far from that. It was all already decided ahead of time.

Their personalities, upbringing and special abilities were taken into account in such a detail that the subjects didn't even have to converse to know which weapon went to whom. Therefore, it wouldn't be strange to say that the gun Takeo had picked up called out to him. It may have not looked like the ones he was accustomed to, yet the form and shine of it caught his immediate attention and wouldn't let go. The way the gun fitted into his grip gave the impression it was made for his hand and his hand only. Everything it was marked perfection. The sensation was weirdly pleasant.

The strange looking bullets were already in the barrel. Feeling the heat rushing to his ears and face, he realised that all he needed to do was pull the trigger.

He glanced over to Krantz, who had turned his broad back to them and Takeo thought that pulling the trigger… was _easy_.

"You even know how to use that, sunshine?" Takeo heard Shark snicker even before he could finish his taunt.

It was pure luck Shark saw Takeo sharpening his stare in time, because if he moved a moment later, he'd have a hole in his cheek.

The Asian brat shot a bullet to his face with no warning. Shark blinked flabbergasted and then exhaled sharply his cold breath, swinging with his blade. The image of the brat in front of him blurred, and the knife sliced the air. Shark felt presence on his side, seeing only a hazy dark figure aiming the hot barrel at his nape. Instead of a bullet carving a tunnel through his head, he felt a strong shove. A powerful kick pushed him and Shark flew over the trolley with all the weapons. Hammer took a lazy step to the side, so that Shark wouldn't slam right into him. The skinny man hit the floor with his chin. He screamed in rage, jumping to his feet.

"You bitch! I'll fucking cut you to ribbons!"

"Shut it, Shark." Came a strict order from Krantz, who was squeezing Takeo's wrist, stopping him from shooting again.

"Don't you stop me! The little piss needs to be punished!" Shark pointed with his knife. "You blind, you motherfucker? You wanna die? You fucking retard, don't ya remember the fucking rules?!"

"I said, shut it!" Krantz repeated and Shark clenched his sharp teeth. The only satisfaction Shark was getting out of this commotion was the fact that Takeo's wrist was making painful sounds under their leader's grip. However, the Asian kid showed nothing on his face which pissed the hell out of Shark. The cocky brat glared at him with his black eyes.

"Takeo." Krantz called him in a strict voice. "I said to point that gun at me. I knew you were stupid, but I hoped you were modified enough not to be senile too. I ain't in charge of a kindergarten. You can tear each other apart for all I care, as long as you don't kill one another. Did you forget that one _simple_ rule?" He was stabbing him with his stare. Takeo didn't turn away, tough. He was burning up. Krantz noticed the boy was trembling in anger, which made him add dryly. "Or are you that excited that you got your toy? Enough to try it on your colleague? I should have done this ages ago."

"You're no colleagues of mine!" Takeo spat in Japanese and shifted his weight. He revealed his other hand, holding a smaller gun. No one noticed when he took it from the trolley. They almost missed it when he shoved it into Krantz's calm face.

Krantz pulled back his head and the bullet flew over his scarred nose, ricocheting off the bulky rifle on the trolley, almost ending up in Shark's opened mouth. Takeo bent forward and hit Krantz in the guts, freeing himself from his grip. Not a moment passed when Krantz got him by the collar and pulled him up like he was a mere feather. The older man tossed him over his head. Shark and Hammer left their posts in a hurry as Takeo fell hard on the ground where they were once standing. He skidded to a halt hitting the wall. He gasped and the next thing he saw was Krantz's shoe heading for his neck. Takeo rolled over, dodging just in time.

This was absurd. Takeo was aware that it was ludicrous of him to try to beat this monster and run away.

It's just that when he got a hold of a gun, he felt stronger and quicker. And what if they actually didn't know how talented a sharpshooter he was? He was positive they didn't know about Tama-san, so why would they know about his firm aim? Perhaps, assigning him the guns was a mere coincidence? He had phenomenal vision, all of his friends said so, and now he had crazy speed too, so maybe that was the reason scientists thought Takeo would be quick to adapt to firearms.

The bottom line was, Takeo had an element of a surprise. And even if it all was a grandiose delusion on his part, he couldn't let the chance of overpowering these bastards slip through his fingers.

He had to escape… before he regrets ever being born.

Takeo never missed. With these guys, tough, he did. Shark was coming in on five o'clock. He didn't have to see him with his super vision, hearing his frenzied screaming was more than enough to pinpoint his location. Takeo dodged him effortlessly hitting him with the handle of his bigger gun. A sudden pressure stopped his movements. Hammer got him from behind. He didn't really "get him", he was just standing there, as if he knew where Takeo will move. Takeo didn't have enough time to think about a possibility so worrisome because Krantz was already in his face. With a tap of his boots, Takeo made a high jump taking aim at the persistent man. The bullet nicked him on the ear and Takeo almost laughed form joy thinking: _"…_ _this might actually work_ _."_

His eyes picked up an unguarded exit about ten meters ahead of him. He aimed at the lock with both of his guns, when a black plastic ball came into his view. It appeared out of nowhere, flying a couple of centimetres from his nose. It ticked and shined.

The blast of a bomb threw Takeo at the wall. He dropped his bigger gun and slumped down feeling numb. His breath rasped in his throat when Krantz walked out of smoke as if the blood soaking his shoulder didn't faze him at all. Takeo aimed at him and pulled the trigger, growling like an animal. That monster disappeared before his eyes and rammed his gun into the ground. The muscular fingers sank into Takeo's wind pipe and pulled him to his feet. With no moment to spare, Krantz slammed their foreheads together, making Takeo's head shake like it was on a string that snapped. Krantz saw the boy's pupils dilated in shock and dropped him on the floor like dead meat.

The space was swirling and Takeo thought he'll throw up. He winced when Krantz yanked his hair. The beast pounded his head into the floor making a huge dent in it. The agony of hearing your own skull cracking and fixing itself repeatedly was echoing in his brain together with the crazy laughter of the observers that filled the room.

The beating went to a sudden stop and Takeo realised Krantz was telling him something. He didn't care what that monster had to say about his behaviour, he wanted to lose conciseness and fall into darkness where there was no one to see him being this pitiful and weak. Alas, being enhanced meant being able to function even in extreme situations such as these.

"I think we both agree you will never leave this place as long as I'm alive." The arrogant prick was as composed as ever. "If you're too dense to care about your own life, remember that other's well-being depend on the quality of your service to the Union. You disobey and break the rules again and your friends will be shipped here the next morning. I'll make you watch me break them."

Krantz released him and stood up. If stares could kill, Krantz would have already been dead.

"You were good today. All of you." He folded his arms. "I think starting the next level of training would be wise."

"Hey!" Shark barked showing his teeth. "What about the fucking punishment, ha?!"

"It's your own fault for letting him get that close to you, Shark." Krantz answered peevishly.

"What?!"

"Silence." Krantz uttered in a way that made perfectly clear who the inferior one was. "I won't chastise our colleague for showing bloodlust."

The way that monster hid his delight when he glanced over to groggy Takeo made the younger man shiver in terror.

"There's no harm in surrendering to it more often."

Takeo felt a twinge in his chest. Those words will stay with him for good as they were created and arranged in such a smug grin just for him. Krantz knew exactly what he was doing and what his next move shall be. And Takeo?

Not so much.

* * *

 **Author's notes – chapter 9**

Tao said Krantz was someone all the other DA5 members combined couldn't beat in a fight, which makes sense considering someone has to be in charge and keep them all in check. Krantz is a tyrannical leader who doesn't lose his composure, except when he wants to show off his skills and power over someone.

Hammer is the toughest one to write for me. He always seemed to me as the biggest psycho of them all, hiding his malice by being apparently indifferent. He's the one that observes, much like Tao. Unlike Tao, tough, he doesn't do it out of curiosity, but out of wanting to gather as much as info he can use against people (that fight with Regis, for example, when he went and got the kids as a bribe material). Being "lazy and a glutton" makes him look tamed in comparison to Shark. I think he's far worse.

Well, I'll talk about him more in some of the next chapters. As I mentioned earlier, I'm making things up by over analysing certain parts in the comic. I'm trying to give more depth to the characters, because I don't want to write only about Takeo and Tao.

Hope you enjoyed. See ya soon!


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

Krantz explained one morning that the next level of training consisted of each of them improving on their skills individually. The news produced an unexpected feeling of gratitude in Takeo. Training individually meant he won't be forced to spend every single day in a metal box with the three lunatics who called each other colleagues while beating each other to a pulp.

He had about enough of being coerced into "sparring" matches and if he had to look at the smug scared face telling him how breaking bones is a best team building exercise, he'll lose his mind.

Staying in their proximity meant giving in to rage and violence fuming inside of him. It would be so easy, with Kratz being the big bully. The leader was ruthless to them all, but he did enjoy picking on Takeo the most. If that was not enough there was always Shark's fixation that was present from the get go. Hammer, on the other hand, never cared… until their last training session when he too had joined in "the fun". That was the first time all three of them ganged up on him and from the way their mad eyes sparkled it won't be the last.

Which turned out to be true. Takeo wasn't scared of them, no, he refused to be; but there was this general sense of fear bubbling up inside him that he couldn't get rid of.

Fortunately, the next team exercise a week later was switched with individual tests. Takeo thought he could relax, because if he was by himself, with no external influence, he had nothing to be anxious about.

Once again, he was proved to be oh so very wrong.

(When a man is isolated he tends to think more than usual.)

* * *

One morning, there were five scientists waiting for them. All familiar faces. They took care of their meals and did their physicals. This time, scientists informed them that they will be showed to their new "rooms".

(Takeo wished the infamous Dr Aris showed up to greet them, but he had no such luck apparently. He started to believe that woman didn't give a damn about the people she toyed with. Still not being terminated for his impudence, Takeo _had_ thought it must have been opposite.)

Eventually, scientists split up and took each of them through different corridors. While Hammer and Shark were escorted to their quarters by doctors, Takeo had Krantz join his appointed escort. Clearly, it was too risky leaving Takeo with just one doctor by his side… With only one ordinary _human_ to guard him.

(Yes, all of the scientists Takeo met so far were mundane, with no special powers at all.) This revelation only added to the hate Takeo harboured towards those bastards. (Willing enough to experiment on other people, but not brave enough to sacrifice themselves for the glory of science. Hypocrites…)

There was one more thing that vexed him. If there were people like Hammer and Shark who didn't mind being turned into weapons, why take someone who's definitely _not_ ok with it? Why not use only those who actually wanted to be here? Wouldn't that be a win-win situation? They wouldn't have to deal with disobedience. (And Takeo would be back in Sapporo, taking orders at that crocked restaurant, still figuring out how to act normal around Rin-chan.)

It got to the point where it physically hurt him to think about home; how all of this would've been different if Shark and Hammer didn't get high on the sight of blood. If they had longed for freedom just a smidgen of how much Takeo did, they could have _really_ teamed up and somehow clawed their way out of here.

Sure, maybe that wouldn't had made any difference because of Krantz, but it would have given him hope. It would have made him feel like he wasn't insane for feeling hurt and lost. If there was another human here who thought the Union – and everything it represented and did – was all horribly wrong, then Takeo wasn't imagining it.

* * *

Krantz and the doctor accompanied him to a sealed room. When the doors were opened they revealed an empty room with a big opening further down. Through it Takeo could see a lot of narrow corridors in a vast, white space that kept on spreading. The space had a low ceiling and too many walls popping up from all sides. There was no natural light nor was there a sound. It was just… white.

White walls, white floor, and white ceiling. The bright place chopped up into sections looked big, yet it was suffocating as if it was sealed in a vacuum till moments ago. It seemed crooked, yet it stood straight. The walls were bending, the space was shifting. It was moving in to crush. Claustrophobic.

A maze.

It was a large maze.

For a lab rat.

Takeo was so dumbstruck, he didn't even notice Krantz approaching. The man pushed him inside, and Takeo swirled around, falling into a fighting stance that in his current state of mind was anything but threatening. Judging by the way his smile curled, for a moment he was sure Krantz will enter the room with him. Instead, he stepped back behind the doors and let the doctor lock Takeo in.

While the mechanical doors slowly closed, Takeo watched the eyes of the brawny man squint in a cold, hungry stare. Takeo's insides twisted in pain and terror. He bolted towards the doors, but it was too late.

"Ugh!" Kicking the metal doors he could hear the two men breathing on the other side. The doctor flinched and squealed in surprise when Takeo continued to bash on the doors, while the arrogant prick didn't move a muscle. Krantz didn't have to, the blasted doors didn't even bent and Takeo was putting everything he got into smashing them to bits.

Takeo turned his head when the wall near him opened and revealed a small arsenal of guns and rifles. Among the ten waiting on the stalls he recognised the two he used for the first time a week ago. He then realised he could tell what each weapon was and how it's supposed to be used. It was not something Tama-san ever taught him. The expert knowledge of guns was something these psychos embedded into his mind with short lessons and a week of forced practice. (It was no rocket science, but Takeo was never a good student and here he tried extra hard to fail.)

There were no bulky guns, no lasers or death rays. Such heavy artillery for mass destruction was reserved for Hammer. It didn't matter, he preferred bullets; he knew what to do with them.

Bullets made palpable damage. They were so little, yet they could make scars, they could disable or kill hitting only once. They flew clean and precise. They sometimes stayed forever with the victim bearing the fingerprints of the killer, too arrogant or uncaring to put the gloves on before loading them up. You take time to aim, you stalk and wait. You can be close, yet you can be far away not letting the victim ever know what hit him. Bullets made things more personal and this… this was personal enough for Takeo to imagine a bullet getting stuck into Krantz's skull.

Takeo wasn't aware he was holding his breath when a voice pierced through the rifle fire of his gun. He couldn't even remember the moment he picked it up and started shooting at the doors. When the smoke lifted and when the last bullet hit the ground, Takeo heaved not letting go of the grip. None of the bullets made a dent, let alone a hole.

"… save the ammo, you'll be needing it." A composed voice said from the other side of the doors. "This will be your new home for a couple of months or more… We'll let you out when the time is right, but… Who knows, you might end up wanting to stay in there forever. Ever played video games? I hear it's quite addicting. It's gonna be _so fun_ , I almost envy you."

"Open it," he snarled in Japanese. Like an animal. The ferocious beast that kept crawling his way out of him. The one Krantz loved to probe with long sharp sticks and dangle the bait in front of its nose. The beast was so strong, so hot and loud, and so close of bursting out.

"How many times do I have to tell you I don't speak trash?"

"I will kill you!" Takeo slammed the gun into the doors breathing heavily. His voice sounded strange to his ears. If he didn't know he was the one spouting such hateful words, he wouldn't be able to recognise it.

Takeo was quiet by nature. Even when he was overpowered by emotions his tone was steady and controlled. He couldn't remember if he ever screamed before he got here. This was a second time he made such an ear-splitting cry, but it was the first time his voice completely shattered. (It shattered him to pieces.)

The silence of the maze helped emphasise every single word he spat. The worst threat he ever uttered. The violent thought he let escape his lips. No matter the situation, he knew how wrong it was, how sick it was to be saying such things and actually wanting to be true to your words, and, oh, God, he wanted to care, but he just didn't.

That made everything so much worse. So much, his stomach was cramping.

"If everything goes according to plan, I might actually believe you," Krantz said and then added dryly. "Imagine how amusing that would be, Takeo: you becoming a man."

Takeo's arm felt heavy; the gun was heavier than it was at the beginning and he realised he was panting. His hand slowly returned by his side still holding the gun in now a shaking, sweaty palm. There was so much more than anger here.

He was terrified.

"Happy shooting." He heard from the outside.

The shoes moved. The footsteps grew weaker, while his breathing got louder. It was the only thing he could hear and it made him sweat like crazy, even though the room was chilly. He bowed down his head, staring at the empty gun and a heap of warm bullets that stood in such a high contrast to the white.

White… a red dot. It moved quickly over the floor, jumped to his gun and continued to go up his arm.

There was a sizzle.

His leg twitched, pushing his body to the wall on the side, barely avoiding a laser bullet that scorched the doors. The impact of the laser was not strong enough to blast the door open, but he had a feeling it would have hurt like a bitch if it had hit the flesh. Another red dot appeared in the middle of his chest. And then he saw it. The white walls and the ceiling had little holes that opened and shut whenever the lasers came to surface to fire on the target. And the target was…

Takeo instinctively aimed the barrel at the laser that was sizzling, heating itself up for another try. His gun clicked reminding him there was no ammo left. Like on a command from a conductor, fifty more holes opened.

Red swarmed around him.

Fire at will.

The lasers were shooting in random order, carefully following his heat signature. The lasers – or whoever handled them – were smart and experienced. Takeo was dodging the best he could. He managed to swipe another gun and make some damage, even succeeding in destroying a couple of lasers, a deed way more difficult than one might expect.

The lasers were vulnerable only when they popped out of holes. Once they finished shooting they'd go back in the holes and the holes would be shut with the wall that already proved itself to be impenetrable. There was no concrete pattern in firing, and as the time went by, Takeo realised every single wall in this maze was completely weaponized. To destroy one laser, Takeo had to avoid the others that came at him and use a less than a second opening to hit a laser before it was protected by the wall. The only good thing was that apparently if he does destroy one, the hole never reopens again.

So shooting non-stop was stupid and useless, because he was, as Krantz warned, wasting ammo. Takeo only had ten guns. Judging by the number of bullet casings laying on the floor and the experience he gained from his short training, all of the guns had approximately thirty rounds. If he was lucky, that would probably be enough to destroy all the lasers in the first room. Even so, Takeo was weary about using all of his weapons at the mere beginning of the maze, especially since he still didn't exactly know why he was in it. (Or for how long.) The smart move would be to take two or more and run further down the maze until he finds the way out.

* * *

Carrying more than two guns proved to be useless. There was nothing with which he could strap it on himself and holding it in hand only obstructed his movements. He tried to make every bullet count, but it was more than challenging with new walls popping up all over the place and the ceiling expanding. New flat surfaces – new lasers. To make matters worse the laser shower made it extra challenging to go back for another gun from the arsenal.

* * *

After a week of constant fire, he managed to take a look in about a dozen nearest rooms that were as empty as the first one. He was still reluctant to go too far into the maze. It was illogical to forsaken his only means of protection, mostly since there was no sign of a new one. If it was still early for him to stumble upon the exit, then Takeo at least hoped there would be another small arsenal waiting for him somewhere. They were serious enough to leave him here for a week, who knows how long he will truly be trapped in the maze. It could easily turn out to be more than a week. Krantz did mention a couple of months, but even with the way Takeo was sparing bullets, there was not enough ammo to last him for that much time.

As far as the training went, however, Takeo sure was improving. His sensitivity skyrocketed after a week; he wasn't just shooting, but using the gun and rifles themselves and his own body to approach near enough to the lasers and break them. He used the wall to push himself and jump, and also hide from the attacks long enough to take a breather. Till now, it never crossed his mind to throw or swing a gun at something. Now it was a part of the way he fought.

It seems that "annihilate without debate and think outside the box" was the first lesson.

* * *

Despite feeling pressure in his stomach, despite his mouth being dry like sandpaper, the thought of him being hungry and thirsty slipped his mind. (Which wasn't so surprising considering he was running for his life the whole time.)

Nearing the end of the first week of imprisonment, he once suddenly decided to stop moving, thinking if maybe he got hit, they'll have to terminate the sequence, or at least make a break to scold him, which he'll use to rest and close his eyes for a second.

(It was strange how they didn't give him time outs to sleep or eat or drink. Before the maze they had always done so following a precise schedule. The small part of him – that still believed they at least cared enough not to let him die of thirst – was telling him that they must have forgotten he was here. Aside from the bullets and lasers and his panting this room was dead silent, so maybe it was also sound proofed in the way you couldn't hear anything from the inside. Out of sight, out of mind… or something.

Whatever, if he doesn't sleep… if he doesn't drink…)

He let the laser hit his thigh.

(Yep, it hurt like a bitch.) It burned through his uniform and through a couple of layers of skin. It bled profoundly and the pain stung his entire body, not just his leg. It felt as if the laser kept going through his flesh, grabbing his nervous system, setting it ablaze. He fell to his knees, grinding his teeth in order to suppress a gasp. Takeo squeezed his wound waiting for it to regenerate like all of them did. Unexpectedly, it kept bleeding and hurting.

After a five seconds of seize fire, the red dots covered the whole of his body. Takeo wheezed and reluctantly moved. The training continued.

He tried to push away the mind splitting headache and his loud stomach and _think_.

(Just think. Forget about the limping leg. Think.)

If this is a maze then there _had_ to be a way out. And he had to search for it even if he had to do it barehanded. Being in the proximity of the gunnery was not necessary anymore since it was almost empty. If they were not stopping this experiment due to his injury then they won't ever end it if he stayed put. Takeo had no other choice but to risk it.

Alright, the plan was to clear the path as much as he could with the rifle, go back to take the two last guns and explore the deep of the maze.

* * *

More walls, empty dead ends and lasers. What a shocker. He used his abilities to the fullest and tried to remember the paths he took. He marked them with blood, used bullets and wrecked guns to make signs. After two or three days he made a blueprint in his mind.

There was absolutely nothing in the maze. Forty six walls, so many rooms… There was no way out.

* * *

The sleep deprivation took its toll on him. He was way past hungry and thirsty at this point; he didn't even feel the pain from it anymore. The lack of sleep on the other hand… It was tormenting.

The enhanced senses he improved over the fortnight were out of control. He started hearing echoes, voices and sounds he wasn't sure were really there. The red trails of beams stayed in the air, moving in slow motion. He wondered whether everything was slow because he was moving too fast, but his body felt so groggy and alien it couldn't have been the reason for the strange movements of the space around him.

That he was losing his grip on reality – the laser assured him when it nicked his shoulder. Takeo almost fell from the impact. He huffed and raised his hand, aiming through the haze at the machine. His hand was empty.

" _Right,"_ his mind pulled itself together, _"I lost the gun in the left dead end."_

The red dots shivered as if they were laughing at him.

* * *

The lasers were ruthless, but not blind. They still fired at him, not letting him rest; their aim, however, was less precise and there were less lasers shooting at the same time. If they happened to hit him they would only sting him strong enough to shock him awake from microsleeps.

(A few seconds blackouts started occurring some time ago, which was expected and easy to handle. The lasers… The _people_ behind them were swift and knew what they were doing. The lab rat wasn't even aware it was falling asleep and when he entered the blackout, they would immediately react not even giving enough time for his knees to give out under the pull of gravitation.)

These types of inflicted wounds were not serious. They only served as a way to keep the rat's attention and make him defend himself… Fighting with his wobbly body was not possible anymore, so it was about time to enter the second stage.

* * *

It kinda should have happened earlier. Humans collapse after a few days without sleep, but he was a super soldier now. Still very human, unfortunately. On the twentieth day… He counted that much, but wasn't sure anymore…

The twentieth day was a day he lost his mind.

Or so he thought.

Takeo was convinced the walls were moving on their own. All of a sudden he couldn't recognise the place, despite it being white as always. The blood stains that helped him figure out the layout of the maze were either gone or in the entirely wrong place.

His wounds scabbed, while the small cuts he gained bruised. It took longer for the laser wound to heal, but the regeneration was still noticeably faster than in a human.

(Where the hell was the blood?)

(Where did the arsenal go? Uh… no, never mind… it was empty. Right?)

(These walls were not here.)

 _"Where am I?"_

(Is this a part of the maze I didn't discover while exploring? No, I searched every inch of this place.)

(A secret part…)

(This place… is moving.)

His mind was playing tricks on him.

Takeo was certain he was hallucinating. It would be a miracle if it was not true. (Nah, not a miracle… odd… it would be _odd_ , but there was nothing strange in a crazy place like this. Crazy…)

He was crazy.

His mind was screaming, his ears were buzzing. He forgot where he was, and when he remembered he didn't know why he was here.

A lab rat.

And he was now officially useless as an experiment.

They broke him.

Everybody knows what happens to broken toys. You either glue them, or throw them in the garbage. Takeo was one of those who saved their toys. Since he never had many of them, he treasured them like they were living beings, a fact in which he wholeheartedly believed until he turned ten.

These people were the other kind.

(Well… maybe that's a good thing…)

He was really tired.

The wall behind him moved and bumped into him. It pushed him on the ground, making him hit his jaw hard on the metal. He saw dark dots and, in a rare moment of peace, he closed his bloodshot eyes.

Despite losing the sense of time, his gut knew the lasers should be firing right about now. They didn't. A cold sigh escaped his pale, dry lips. His trembling body became heavy. He was numb and out of strength, his mind shutting down.

A wall carelessly ran into him and shoved him to the side. He rolled over, his heart pounding quickly in shock. His eyes opened on their own and saw all the walls dancing in some complex choreography, passing each other, taking their new positions. Making almost no noise, while gliding on the floor.

(Wait… Was this for real?)

A large wall flew behind others and revealed a strange black box. At first, Takeo didn't know what to do about it. One part of him begged him to sleep while he had a chance; the other urged him to get to the box.

Where did it come from anyway? There were no boxes last time he checked. Was someone else here? (Did someone enter the maze and I didn't notice? Are they still here? Did they leave?)

"… Hhh… Hh-hello?" His voice cracked. It was weak even for a whisper.

(What am I gonna do with it when I get to it? Were there more than one? Where did it come from?) His brain was too fatigued to give him any proper answer.

Takeo tried propping himself up, but failed, so he crawled his way to it, touching it cautiously upon reaching it. It was a firm cube with an open top, like a basket. He grabbed on its edge and tried to pull his upper body up. The cube was big and heavy, but it didn't help him. Instead, it flipped over dropping its contents on Takeo.

A gun and a bottle with transparent fluids.

Water.

With his eyes wide open, he snatched the bottle with such force the plastic crunched beneath his fingers.

 _"Easy, don't break it. Control yourself,"_ he ordered himself while his trembling fingers pulled on the bottle cap.

Despite the note of caution, he crushed the cap in his palm, and without a second thought started drinking. His throat closed up in the middle of swallowing and he gagged, almost dropping the whole bottle. He was choking on his own breath while coughing up the water, which was stupid and embarrassing. (He shouldn't waste it.)

Not fully recovered from the fit, he pressed the bottle to his lips.

 _"Steady, swallow slowly, don't rush."_

It was ironical, having super hearing and being completely deaf at the same time. Takeo sucked on it, as if the gravity was not doing the good enough work by itself. His gut was tied in a knot, but he couldn't stop drinking.

 _"That's enough,"_ his mind reminded him, _"save some for later, who knows when you'll get more. Save it for later, you had enough."_

That was the last thing he heard before he blacked out.

* * *

Takeo came to when he started coughing again. He was heaving with his back bent over, leaning heavily on shaking hands. An empty bottle was squeezed in his palm. There was nothing left in it, not even a drop. (How stupid…) It gnawed at him making his lungs shrink, his chest too tight to breathe.

Takeo was so happy… and hurt in so many ways. The emotion was deep and sharp. It stabbed his entire being.

He was gonna throw up.

"Mmf!" Clasping his mouth with both of his hands he clenched his teeth. The hold on his jaw was so strong he tough he'll break it.

(It doesn't matter, it will heal. Don't you _dare_ vomit! You _need_ that water!)

Takeo curled up with his forehead on the cool ground. All of his muscles tensed up while his stomach churned and churned… and churned. A painful reminder that he was starving. He could taste the drool forming in his mouth, coating his warm tongue. It made him even more nauseous gulping it down.

Takeo, perhaps, didn't know what his limit was, but his body certainly did. His body also knew how to survive and what the priorities were in any given situation. (It was fascinating how sturdy a human body is, how decisive and sacrificing it can be. How it could turn the tables around and overtake the control of the mind.)

There was a pressure in Takeo's head. All of his blood drained from his limbs and went to his brain. The familiar numbness enveloped him and the pressure kept him down on the floor. His breathing slowed down, allowing some oxygen to his brain. It finally began working again. It gave one order only.

(Sleep.)

Takeo was out in an instant. The walls were still moving around him. The lasers were observing him, flashing him with red dots. He didn't react to any of it. He didn't stir even when a part of the floor on which the box was on, opened up and took the box under the surface. The hole was quickly closed with a floor panel, not leaving a trace of once being opened.

* * *

The walls were really moving on their own. The only time they were totally still was the first sixteen days of torture. Takeo vaguely remembered them changing positions when he woke up. He had no clue why he was so confused by it. It was obvious the maze was made by the Union, which meant this was the ultimate maze with the walls that never truly stayed frozen. In other words, the path to the exit, if it existed, was never the same. It was constructed to keep the subject inside no matter how many times the subject blueprinted it.

As more time flew by, Takeo found out there were holes even in the ground. The box and many other things came from the underground. The ever shifting walls would conceal the packages and _release_ them when the people behind the controls deemed necessary. Or entertaining.

There were many strange things coming from below the surface.

But not food.

Not the pills they fed the enhanced humans. The tasteless substitute for food that Takeo loathed because – beside the fact that it kept him fed and energised – taking them was nothing more than being drugged on daily basis with something you knew nothing about. Who knew what kind of poisons and steroids were inside those pills?

Before the maze, among other things, he dreamt about the restaurant's special cake, about the curry he left in the fridge, about ramen and cup noodles, and Umaibo and all the other snacks he normally didn't eat.

In the maze, he dreamt about the pills.

He lay passed out on the floor, dreaming of the pills, when a laser decided three hours was more than enough sleep for the little lab rat. Takeo jumped screaming in pure agony when the broiling beam of red tore through his calf. (That was an awful way to make someone fully awake.)

Whoever was behind it didn't care. The red dots surrounded him while he twisted in pain, blood oozing between his fingers, as if they were ordering him to stand up. He might have obeyed sooner if they hadn't hurt his leg. Another laser shot at him and he had no choice _but_ to move. He grabbed the gun he got from the box and ran.

Something was different. There was a weird sound in the room. It was like a scene from one of those horror movies Mimi-sensei pestered him to watch with her, because she was too afraid to do it alone. She was terrified, yet she loved them; she loved the feeling of terror and Takeo was perfect company because he found such movies boring and unconvincing. Her brave knight in shining armour. Takeo never viewed himself as brave, more like someone lacking considerable amount of imagination.

That's why when a robot leapt from behind the corner, he knew it was real. It was a real threat with real big guns.

* * *

Many types of robots came from the underground. As the days went by, beside the lasers and walls that were keen on bumping into him, he had to deal with robots too. More than one at a time even.

During the first month of imprisonment he demolished more robots than he could count. He used weapons that occasionally appeared in the boxes, his own fists and kicks, he even used the simple-mindedness of machines to make them crash into walls or destroy each other.

He sometimes stole the rifles from the shutdown robots because boxes were a rarity. And it was only worse when he realised he was not the only one after them. Whenever he'd see one he would have to be faster and smarter than his enemies in order to protect it from the beams and bullets. He lost one because of his negligence, and saved the other two. No matter how much he needed guns to stay in one piece, every time he searched the box he prayed he'd find water and some pills in them. But those things were never there.

* * *

It was happening all over again. He was swaying and aching because of lack of sleep. He was thirsty and starving like never before. It was worse than that fateful night many years ago behind the dumpster in a small alley when Tama-san picked him up.

Tama-san… Did he ever try looking for him? Did he know he was living peacefully in Sapporo? Did he ever miss him like Takeo missed the fearless boss of the Yakuza?

Did he know Takeo was missing? Did anybody?

Has anyone in the neighbourhood asked: "Hey, where's that skinny kid that smells of soap?"

Who was in charge of the dishes now? (Not the washing machine, right? Not a machine… no…) Who bought breakfast for lazy grandpas at the park? Who helped old lady Aki down the stairs? Who were the kids gossipping about right now? Who was sneaking a peek at Rin-chan every time she walked by the store?

Did anybody notice something was wrong? Takeo did. _Everything_ was wrong.

 _"Why… Tama-san, why…? Where are you? When will you come? You always came for me. You._ _ **Only**_ _you."_

(The boss gave up on you. You said it yourself.)

 _"No."_

(He did.)

 _"No, he let me stay in_ _ **Sapporo**_ _where I was safe and happy, not in_ _ **this**_ _hell,_ _ **never**_ _in this hell, he'd never abandon me here._ _ **Not him**_ _."_

(He _did_.)

 _"_ … _I need to wait for him."_

(For how long?)

 _"Until he comes."_

(No one is ever coming for you, Takeo. I thought you figured that out long ago, I thought you dealt with it. No one is coming, ok? And that's for the best.)

 _"How is that the best?!"_

"Aaargh!" He kicked the robot off of him with such strength it flew in the path of the laser that split it in half. The robot exploded sending its sharp parts and wires flying all over the place. Its head hit the laser before it could contract to its hole. The laser blew up with it.

Takeo saw the shrapnel coming at him, but he was too dizzy to dodge and it stabbed him in the collar bone. He slumped against the wall wheezing, closed his eyes and yanked the shrapnel out of his flesh. The fast healing failed him once again. Days have passed since it stopped being surprising; the wound bled and stayed open as a wound should. (It was ironical how in these moments Takeo missed his cursed abnormality.)

He covered the injury with his palm while inspecting the damage he had made to the robot. The remains of it were burning, and the warmth felt unusual in the room because it felt good… And cosy. His eyelashes were fluttering, reminding him how hard it was to stay awake. It was thirty days since those three hours of sleep. Since the water.

What was the point of it all?

Something was burning. There was a smell. A smell… of meat.

Takeo must have been hallucinating, yet his mouth was watering without his consent. As if he lost all reason, his body moved on his knees closer to the flame. Among the rubble of mechanics laid something of a familiar shape.

The robots were not robots. They had flesh. This particular robot had a human hand. It was the strongest one he faced, extremely stubborn and a bit smarter than the rest of machines he had destroyed. It was not a _machine_ that attacked him. It was a cyborg. (Takeo knew that; he recalled Krantz talking about them in one of his lessons.)"

Cyborgs were once humans. They were still part human, just like Takeo.

He killed a living being. And he didn't even notice.

 _"Oh my God…"_

"Ah… ha…" Takeo pressed his stomach in revulsion, not only because he was now officially a murderer who felt almost no remorse, but also because he was still drooling like a dog.

(It wasn't really alive.)

 _"What are you talking about?"_

(It attacked you first. You had no choice.)

 _"I don't feel anything!"_

(Because it was a thing. A test subject. Not a real human.)

 _"Stop calling it that."_

( _It_. You see? And what if it _was_ a real human? It still attacked you with intent to kill. Why are you freaking out? It's not like you never wanted to murder other people.)

 _"_ … _What?"_

(Your pledge to Tama-san. About being his brother. Wasn't it about killing people?)

 _"_ … _No… But, that's… It's different…"_

(How so?)

Takeo hugged his chest so tight he was suffocating himself. He was always on the lean side, but this was the first time he could feel all of his ribs. His messy hair was falling in his eyes. The bags underneath them were in stark contrast to his pale complexion.

 _I'll be your bullet then. You don't need brains to shoot._

"O-open it…" He stuttered. "Open the door."

 _I turn eighteen in two months._

 _Imagine how amusing that would be, Takeo: you becoming a man._

 _That's still a brat in my book, you little shit!_

 _A gun, ha? Ha! Could have guessed the princess was too bashful to get her hands dirty like a real man!_

 _To become a man..._ S _howing bloodlust... There's no harm in surrendering to it more often._

 _You're becoming a man, Takeo._

"Open it, Krantz, open the door!"

Click.

A hole in the floor opened and a black box resurfaced. Takeo looked around in haste searching.

"Hello?" He called examining the walls and a ceiling. "Is anybody there? Answer me! There _is_ someone!"

He surprised himself when he stood up hurriedly. It was spinning in his head, but that didn't matter right now.

Someone was in the maze. Someone alive. He was watching Takeo. Listening. There had to be a camera here somewhere, except there wasn't because he did everything he could to find it ages ago. Maybe it was hidden in a hole like everything else was, but there was no way to check it now when he was at his wits' end. And even if he wasn't how was he supposed to check? But, there was a camera for sure, because of course those sick bastards wanted to see him suffer and break apart.

And then just like the floor panel, something clicked inside Takeo's mind. He kneeled before the box and saw a gun and a bottle of water.

This was a reward, wasn't it? For putting up with this shit, for killing the half dead beings, for being such a docile pet. In the end, there was no food, which meant the hell was not done with him yet. They were planning to keep him here for a long, long time. They will throw more robots and cyborgs and God knows what else at him and he'll slaughter them all, half dead, half alive, _just_ alive, you name it, because _that_ meant water and sleep.

 _The point_ was training. The Union was training him to do as told. They've already displayed a dozens of ways to punish him if he refuses and they also implanted the idea into his mind that if he follows the rules without unnecessary questions he'll be cared for, because no matter how inhuman the treatment here was, they were still heedful to his limits. They didn't want him to die nor get damaged beyond repair.

They were also teaching him the limits and forcing him to surpass them, setting new goals and records. It must have looked very impressive on a medical chart.

You don't need _brains_ to shoot. Just kill the enemy and the enemy is whoever the Union says it is.

And that was the whole point. You do that and you'll live. It was an imperative to _stay_ alive. Why? Because it was only natural. Everybody wants to live. That's the last fight you lose. You never want to lose it, do you?

 _For how long?_

 _You're no good to me, brat._

"I can't…" Takeo was whispering absentmindedly, while his hand hovered over the panel. There were no cracks, no lines that separated the panel from the rest of the floor. The structure felt the same. There were no dents, no… nothing. Maybe if he waited for the panel to move and jam it somehow… Perhaps he could see what was down there.

 _Imagine how amusing that would be, Takeo: you becoming a man._

"I can't do this…"

Was there just a hole or was there a tunnel? A system of tunnels? Did they lead further outside the maze? Could he get out if he went underground?

He couldn't. He _can't_. He was weak, pathetic and out of his mind. Krantz wouldn't have to move a muscle.

(For how long are we gonna wait for him?)

Takeo dragged the box sluggishly and placed it in front of him.

He felt so sick he wasn't even thirsty anymore.

* * *

 **Author's notes – chapter 10**

Some fun facts (that you probably already know):

 _Microsleeps_ occur when a person has a significant sleep deprivation. They usually last for a few seconds and happen most frequently when a person is trying to stay awake when they are feeling sleepy. Microsleeps are similar to blackouts and a person experiencing them is not consciously aware that they are occurring.

Generally, _sleep deprivation_ may result in: aching muscles, confusion, memory lapses or loss, _depression_ (heavily on the D), development of false memory, headaches, malaise, eye bags, mania, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), increased blood pressure, increased stress hormone levels, and many other things. Not to mention death.

 _Starvation_ : Early symptoms include impulsivity, irritability, hyperactivity... Atrophy (wasting away) of the stomach weakens the perception of hunger, since the perception is controlled by the percentage of the stomach that is empty. Individuals experiencing starvation lose substantial fat and muscle mass as the body breaks down these tissues for energy. Catabolysis is the process of a body breaking down its own muscles and other tissues in order to keep vital systems such as the nervous system and heart muscle functioning. The energy deficiency inherent in starvation causes fatigue and renders the victim more apathetic over time ( _apathy_ is a lack of feeling, emotion, interest, and concern. It is a state of indifference.) As the starving person becomes too weak to move or even eat, their interaction with the surrounding world diminishes.

Victims of starvation are often too weak to sense thirst, and therefore become dehydrated. All movements become painful due to muscle atrophy and dry, cracked skin that is caused by severe dehydration.

There is insufficient scientific data on exactly how long people can live without food. Although the length of time varies with an individual's percentage of body fat and general health, one medical study estimates that in adults complete starvation leads to death within 8 to 12 weeks. There are isolated cases of individuals living up to 25 weeks without food. Starvation begins when an individual has lost about 30% of their normal body weight. Once the loss reaches 40% death is almost inevitable.

Some drabble:

So, yeah, this was a long chapter. There's also a large author's note at the end.

You'll probably notice I didn't use all of the above said truth while writing this chapter. The reason is: Takeo is a super human soldier. He can withstand more than average humans and some of the symptoms will never show up on him. That being said, he's still _part_ human, and he's not a bloody noble, so yeah, he'll be fucked after this little game. Not to mention he's going through all three types of torture while bleeding and fighting (for 50 days, which is more than 7 weeks (till now)).

Thanks for reading and see you next time!


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

 **Author's notes part 1 – chapter 11**

I'm repeating the warnings for this chapter. I don't wanna spoil it, but something potentially triggering happens and you should read it all with caution.

* * *

 _For how long?_

He was wrong.

Feeling indignant was inane. Illogical.

 _Do you regret it?_

He was wrong all along. From the very beginning.

* * *

(Stay away from this place.)

(In this asylum they turn people into hideous creatures.)

Machines patched up with flesh of animals and humans, who run on strange mixture of blood and oil that reeks of rot. Some have brains of metal, some of tissue. There are those who are pure abominations… as if their creators read only Merry Shelly's Frankenstein and none of the real medical text books. There are others with faces and bodies carved in some kind of "bio-metal" to resemble a human. They shoot lasers from their mouths and have sharp electrical wires coming out of their chests.

The robots… Cyborgs… "Bio-robots" were mostly silent killers that felt no pain, but a few of them actually tried to make a sound… or utter a word. One or two moved a little differently, especially when they were pounded to the ground, before they would shut down forever. Little movements and gestures. Small details that caught one's attention easily if he observed the beings of similar design for weeks. As the time flew by the beings that hung between the living and the dead became more complicated, more evolved… More human. They were all different. They had personalities. The details.

Takeo's enemies were test subjects like him, the supposed agents and colleagues. Handpicked pets designed to fight Elders' battles alongside Takeo. Treasured, special meat now discarded in the light of new achievements… or merely out of spite. Takeo pondered over the reason for this type of merciless termination. Some of his opponents were broken, but most of them were just outmoded.

Were they trying to teach him that the less evolved – the _weaker_ – didn't deserve any better? That it didn't matter if they were on the same side? Being from the same institute didn't demand sympathy? Was killing your own just something you do? Learning from centuries of humanity's history, Takeo had to agree on that point, but why must you force destruction where there's none? Surely, the weak and the strong could have worked together for the Elder's twisted cause?

Even if you were the kind to toss away the old toys, if you had chosen them carefully and invested time in them, weren't you a _bit_ sentimental? Why throw them into the furnace when you can euthanize them and bury them in the yard like you'd bury your goldfish?

Maybe they were worth less than goldfish. On the other hand, people usually flush their fish in their toilets. Isn't it a sad scene, tough? Takeo wouldn't know. He never had a pet.

He was stuck in the exact same scene of a horrendous burial as its main actor none the less. The doctors, the scientists, _the psychos_ (whoever was on the other side) monitoring, threw the agents in the maze and Takeo had no choice but to live to fight another day, unable to resist the will of the master. Like a water tank, he had no say in it, at least until it gets empty.

(Strange how the brain works connecting the most insane silly things. Scary.)

And as he slept behind the debris using the remains of his fellow mates as cover – never completely disconnecting himself from the surroundings – he realised that he was the lucky one in this tragic tale. He was one of the gears in a massive mechanism of evolution. One of its accomplishments. But _just_ a gear. A small part easily replaced.

 _"Being the lucky one was a gift and a curse,"_ he thought… and then he stopped.

He felt… and then he didn't.

* * *

Bullets made everything personal. Intimate. The more ammo he used, the hotter his barrel became, and the more the sound of the gun fire echoed, the less his hand wavered. The more tired he got the better he aimed. The hit was more precise and fatal. The louder it got in his head, the quieter the maze became and there was nothing to hear but the shrieks and slurred words of his colleagues directed at him in a deadpan tone.

The tougher the opponent was, the more he waited, stalked and prepared for the kill. The time Takeo spent gazing into the blank expression of his colleagues grew ever longer. Not even fresh water could steal Takeo's attention from the toppled over body. Those eyes beneath his feet were like from a dream… Like something he saw before or was yet to see in a day or two or three. The more evolved his colleagues, the more convincing were the eyes. The more… _true_ were the things the eyes were saying. Asking. Requesting something. From Takeo. Their brother in misfortune. Their _kohai_.

 _'Finally…'_ He saw the word hidden in the irises, heard it with what was left of his soul. Perhaps he was imagining it, trying to make everything _normal_. Lying to himself by giving the excuse, a purpose… A motivation to pull the trigger. Searching for some reality in which he didn't cross any lines, in which he was not a monster, a selfish, apathetic beast, stronger than anyone.

Observing the metal faces soothed him because they _allowed_ him to be strong. It made him feel alright. The feeling of addicting numbness was right, so…

He waited, because it was hard not to. Unnatural. But it was even harder waiting in pain.

The pain was not a stranger to him. Takeo had years to perfect the protection from it. But there were many types of pain and this one was completely new to him. Nevertheless, Takeo's protection was absolute. Impenetrable.

Numbness.

Nothingness.

Stay completely still… and numb… and nothing can hurt you.

 _For how long?_

…finally…

* * *

He _wasn't_ imagining it.

Takeo waited with his hand raised, aiming at the scrawny, sickly looking man with burn marks all over his pale body. The body of pure flesh and red blood. A bald man with huge eyes that cried and begged silently, because there was no strength in him for a scream and a fist fight. The man pulled up on the surface by the floor panel.

But there was something _different_ about this man. It might have been the eyes that begged. The unspoken words that were so unexpected. So _strong_. The fear and hope shining through the bright irises. A powerful desire hidden in a powerless body. The man had such a different stare from the rest of his comrades. It left Takeo in awe.

It looked… strikingly similar to a face he once knew.

It surprised him when his own twitched. Takeo couldn't feel it for some time now. The movement was familiar to the touch. The gesture. All the small details.

 _"Ah… I understand."_ The scrawny man full of life is how Takeo must have looked to the bio-robots. A man who still got a spark in him. Despite everything there was will to continue on, to believe in something. The eyes of the bio-skinned were indeed a dream… a foreshadowing. Something he was yet to see on his own face.

 _"_ … _finally…_ _ **this**_ _is my_ _ **limit**_ _…"_

 _"I can't…"_ He remembered himself muttering long ago.

 _"I can't do this._

 _"I can't be stronger than this._

 _"It's over_. _"_

Takeo was wrong. Tama-san had it right all along. He was always right, Takeo remembered.

 _You don't have what it takes._

It was different pointing a gun at such eyes. It was _impossible_. (Ah… he finally got the meaning.) It was too late now when there was no meaning to anything anymore.

The waiting was over.

But _they_ will not let their precious pet go.

 _... I don't care how hard you hit me, the truth is you don't want me dead, otherwise you would have already gotten rid of me. Even when you do get sick of me…_

The first time in forever there was a voice from the outside in the maze. As Takeo thought, there _was_ a camera concealed somewhere in it. The man on the mike was none other than Krantz.

… _I won't care…_

"It's been eighty-five days, Takeo." He sounded the same, like nothing has changed. "I hope you didn't get too attached to this place."

Krantz paused as if he expected some kind of a come-back, but Takeo was more interested in the trembling man before him than in what the self-proclaimed leader had to say. The victim seemed more confused than scared now, because his executioner was fixedly looking at him without doing anything for more than ten minutes.

"This is the last one, Takeo." It was unusual for Krantz to sound careful… mindful even. "Kill it and you're out."

 _Do you regret it?_

* * *

He dreamt about his father. (Those were the lucid dreams he was having while keeping an eye on his opponents.) He learnt the hard way the only way to sleep is with a gun in his lap. If you leave yourself open, you get hurt. For a safe short rest you have to be in a position to move quickly, so no laying down; you need a weapon in hand and a super ear listening in.

Takeo had the strangest of dreams sleeping like that. One moment his father was inebriated to the extent of not knowing he ever had a son; the other, he was sober and fixing Takeo's toy car. It was the first time in years he remembered his father in any positive light and that was the only normal- _Nice_ memory of him he had.

That evening, in his parents' bedroom, his father was sitting on the bed with a woman Takeo never saw before, laying half naked on the sheets. His father was smiling as if he enjoyed fixing tires on old toy cars. Funny how he forgot such a memory.

Perhaps it was because it was overshadowed by a big fight his parents had an hour later. His father stepped on the car and hit his mother for the first time. He never stopped since then. It seems like beating up his kid was not enough to satisfy him anymore, which was proven correct when mother ran away. (His father was never sober again.)

Takeo dreamt of how things were and he dreamt of him fighting back. In some of these dreams he'd meet his father as a grown man. Sometimes they'd just pass each other on the streets. Sometimes they'd have a friendly reunion at Koichi-san's restaurant. In one Takeo would beat him until he bled or shot him from behind. In one dream he wouldn't be able to find his father because Tama-san and Arata-san had already taken care of him.

His father would sometimes recognise his son, most often he wouldn't. Takeo could ask him as many questions as he wanted. It was his dream after all. Questions like: Did you ever love mother and me, did I do something to anger you, was it my fault you were unhappy…? Were you sad? Did you feel numb, was it pain? Why did you do such things, was there a reason, a way I could have helped, a way you could have stopped yourself?

But the only question he did ask was: "Did you miss me?"

His father would answer _yes_ in one version of unlikely events, he'd answer _no_ in the other. Sometimes he'd say nothing.

And Takeo's reaction to any of the answers was… none existing.

He was completely indifferent.

Like his mother was. A beautiful woman with so much energy and life… apathetic towards her child. Well… To Takeo at least. She was absolutely glowing cradling her new-born baby in her arms. A boy, a girl? He only knew he was an older brother to someone he'll never meet. To someone who probably wouldn't want to meet _him_.

* * *

"This is an order, Takeo. Finish what you've started and you'll get your pills." The arrogance was back in his voice, but Krantz still didn't sound aggravated. "Kill it so we can move on. Don't waste our time."

* * *

But in a dream Takeo did meet his sibling. A charming child doted by the happy couple. He wondered how his life would have been if he had stayed with them. No matter how many times he dreamt about it, he never got around to pop the question. Mother was too busy playing with her child and her lover ignored him. Takeo believed it was better that way, because he had no idea what he would have done had they refused to take him in.

It was asinine to fear it, especially since he already knew what happened afterwards. Maybe… No- _The best_ thing that ever happened to him. Tama-san.

Some kids had Kamen Rider, Takeo had Tama-san. The boss really was the very best of Takeo's life. He wouldn't trade a second of their time for the world. Having to have to give up on the oyabun hurt more than his mother forsaking him for the second time. It was Takeo's fault, not the boss'; it was crystal clear now. If there was anyone to blame for all the tears and ill fate, it was Takeo. And he wasn't even sure why he did it. Why did he run away?

But if he hadn't left he would have never met Koichi-san, a human who proved there could be a person beside Tama-san and Arata-san who liked him. Tama-san loved Takeo, but he was also a good man who took upon himself a great responsibility, which made it hard for him to change his mind about the kid. Koichi-san was sometimes quite similar to the oyabun. He had no responsibility towards Takeo tough, making his relationship with the kid even a greater wonder.

Mimi-sensei, grandma Aki and the rest of the neighbourhood – he would have never known them if he hadn't separated from Tama-san. He would have never known how it was to be ordinary, how hard and fun it was to make a place for oneself in the world. To be given a chance.

And Rin-chan… A smart and strong girl who saw something special in Takeo. He was too much of a coward to use the chance given to him there. Yeah, he was a very recluse sort of a person, quiet and meek, indecisive and static and weak. She was everything _but_. It wouldn't have worked out. Not getting close was for the best.

All of it was for the best.

* * *

"Do I have to repeat myself? How many times are we gonna do this?"

* * *

Because if Takeo hadn't cut his ties with the Yakuza, the Union would have known about the boss. The Elders would have used the oyabun as leverage. No, if Tama-san knew they dared to touch what was his and talk about him like some damsel in distress, he would have barged in here with one hand and his comrades and blew the whole place up.

Takeo didn't doubt he was competent enough to do so, but spending time with the Union assured him that if Tama-san _had_ raided this place, he would have been killed on the spot. Worse, he would have been tortured and enslaved. The boss was top notch quality meat. The Union wouldn't let it go to waste.

Rin-chan too… Koichi-san and everyone, they were more clever and stronger than Takeo. It was a mystery why the Elders settled on Takeo when they could have had a feast. It was good, though, that the friends from Sapporo flew under their twisted radar.

They were watched, Krantz said, they were not high quality meat so they wouldn't survive for long if they brought them to the lion's den.

* * *

"If you don't shoot that peace of trash right now, I'll send for your friends and they will take your place in the maze." And there it was. The anger. "Don't think I'm not gonna do it just because I didn't till now, you brat. There is a limit to stupidity!"

* * *

Bullshit.

The only reason why the Union didn't pick Rin-chan for their little science project was because the girl would have given them the middle finger. She was stubborn, bold and independent and she wouldn't have let herself be treated like a rat. She would have ended it all long ago.

Indeed, it was a wise decision that they didn't end up together. Rin-chan would have put herself in harm's way to retrieve him. Or not. Unlike Takeo who was still hung up on the past, his friends were mighty people, perfectly capable of dealing with life and moving on.

Takeo dreamt about being with them again. He wanted them to miss him, but he didn't wish for them to be sad for losing him or to be bitter over what was done to him. He'd hate to see Tama-san blaming himself for letting Takeo leave the nest. He'd despise it if Rin-chan cried over him, even though it was soothing knowing _someone_ would cry over you.

His friends should forget about him and live on. Safe and sound. Oblivious. Just look at his mother. Once she forgot about him she had no worries in the world.

And that was it, wasn't it? Takeo was the only thing connecting his friends to the Union. The only reason they were watched, the only reason Krantz cared about the group of people with hilarious names was _because_ of Takeo.

There's no point in a fishing rod if you have a bait but not the string.

 _"Which means nobody will come for me. No matter how long I wait._

 _"And that's for the best._

 _"Stay away from this place…"_

 _"I'm not afraid to die…"_ He thought that once while he still had no clue about death.

Funny.

* * *

"… have a front row seat to the bloodbath that will become of your friends if you don't do as I say!"

* * *

 _"No one should be hurt over me._ _ **No one**_ _should be harmed by my fate. Not anymore._

 _"I'm not worth it."_

 _You don't have what it takes._

 _"And I'm fine with that. It should be that way. That means they didn't change me completely, they didn't break me to bits. There was still a speck of Tama-san's_ _ **Takeo**_ _in me. It was good to go that way. And it was time."_

Takeo wanted to live… No. He wanted to be _saved_. He endured, sacrificed and fought to survive long enough just for that feeling.

And at some point… everything crumbled into nothingness. He was numb and empty. He couldn't remember the exact moment when it happened, but soon _nothing_ mattered anymore. And when you stop feeling you're actually dead.

What is alive should live, and what's _dead_ should _die_.

 _"This is the last one. I'm out._ _ **Finally**_ _."_

* * *

"Takeo!"

* * *

Suddenly his hand moved. His gun shined on the neon light and shifted. The scrawny man winced in shock.

 _Do you regret it? Ever being born?_

There was a cold barrel pressing on his temple. He pulled the trigger.

 _"Why would I?_

 _"It was a life."_

* * *

The second phase of training was going marvellously. Both Shark and Hammer deserved the highest commendation for their skills and Takeo, the troublemaker, responded better than anybody could have anticipated. From the very start Krantz had high expectations of the Asian kid. He wasn't mistaken when he stated to the doctors that, despite their initial analysis, the brat had more potential than Shark and Hammer combined.

As Charles Darwin said: "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change."

The way Takeo's body reacted to the enhancement was by far the most fascinating thing he saw and out of all the experiments of Dr Aris, Takeo was the only human who successfully survived the complete modification. His body and genetic code concealed all of this power and only needed a little push to show it. And day after day, he was changing, getting better and better.

Takeo was physically strong and agile. Krantz could easily place him the second strongest in the DA5. Beside Krantz, only Hammer could match him in a brawl and win if he was in a mood.

The kid was fast. _Really_ fast. There was no one faster in the DA5, aside from Krantz, and the leader of the group had to go through multiple enhancements to acquire the speed a bit higher than the kid's. Thankfully, it looked like Takeo's speed reached its limit, which must be disappointing from the scientific point of view.

For Krantz, it meant one problem less. He'd be lying if he said he couldn't wait to dunk into the tank of green liquid and risk his life for an umpteenth time.

Multiple enhancements were still sort of a taboo at the Union. The procedure could have a devastating effect on a body and mind. Krantz was not a stupid man; however, _knowing_ he survived something that killed many super humans did wonders for his pride.

The leader had advanced senses and could hear and see better than average super humans. All of the DA5 were on another level, but Takeo was an entirely different story. He could pick up things from vast distances, which made Krantz feel butterflies in his stomach. If there was anyone he couldn't wait to eat one day it was that troublesome brat. He wondered if he'd inherit the ability to shoot with such precision; the way the kid handled guns was nothing to sneeze at.

You could say the only flaw was that his regeneration was not as good as it was Hammer's, Shark's and Krantz's; nothing his speed couldn't make up for. (If you can't catch it you can't hurt it.) He also had high tolerance to pain and was overall vigorous. Unlike Hammer, Shark was a pleasant surprise by the way he withstood starvation, thirst and sleep deprivation, and when Krantz saw Takeo's charts matching Sharks's, he was more than excited.

Takeo was all in all a rarely well-rounded subject. Unique if you take into the account that most modified humans ended up with super strength and a slightly boosted senses (the best examples being Shark and Hammer, of course). The pet project Tao, as he heard, was even below the average super humans. (Why Dr Aris wasted so much time on him, he had no idea.)

Indeed, Takeo was one of the best, if not _the_ best contribution to the DA5. Yuri and Dr Aris outdid themselves with this one. (Who would have thought by the way the kid looks.) Back in the old days, Krantz would have never let him be a part of his platoon based on the first impression alone.

And his first impression was dead wrong. The brat was clever _and_ observant. Courageous and unyielding. All the fine qualities a solder should have, but lacked discipline, something Krantz believed was because Takeo never had a strong authoritative figure in his life. Well, he was more than willing to play the part. As Takeo's time in the maze closed to an end, Krantz realised the brat accepting him as a leader won't be a problem anymore. He could hear it in the boy's voice the moment he _begged_ to be let out.

After that, the science department in charge of Takeo celebrated, because the kid was doing everything they wanted, with reactions as textbook as it could get.

Being quite happy himself, Krantz was still not convinced. Something was bothering the experienced army man, something he saw in Takeo the first time the kid opened his eyes on the training deck, something he'd seen in a few solders way back when he was still active on the field.

The kid didn't have what it takes.

He was kind enough to receive torture in hope to keep his friends safe, but how long will the Union be able to blackmail him like that? Every man had a breaking point, and kind people usually break in the way you don't want them to. Krantz had lost too many kind men in his life to think kindness was – as many wise men preached – a blessing and a strength. Kindness is a weakness, a _disease_ that kills not only the carrier but everybody infected by it too. And the worst of it all was – it was bloody _hard_ to exterminate.

Most with this condition change their ways when they are properly motivated or if they experience an epiphany before they die. They tried motivating Takeo, but Krantz had a feeling friends from Sapporo were not enough to cast aside everything that made _him_ who he _was_. They weren't even blood relatives. That posh bitch Yuri should have found them a family member or someone of similar importance. The Russian reported Takeo had nothing of the sort, but Krantz was sure the idiot was just lousy at his job.

By the end of the second phase Krantz was pissed, and slightly scared which was an oddity. The eerie vibe around Takeo was familiar and unsettling and he was apparently the only one who could feel it. Friends from Sapporo may not be enough to control the boy, but they might be just enough to push him overboard. There were cases like these in the military, on both the allies' and the enemies' side.

The way Takeo stood before the scrawny man, his last target, gave Krantz flashbacks he thought he'll never have to deal with while in the Union. That strange cold stare was of a ghost from the past he threw away forever.

"What's the hold up?"

To make everything even more irksome Dr Aris _had_ to be present on the last day of Takeo's training. Her underlings updated her on how her pet was doing great and will be ready for her with a cherry on top. She was so excited while she watched Takeo tear apart her former subjects, the smile never leaving her face.

Krantz knew there was nothing to worry about whether Takeo would destroy the bio-robots or not. They were not truly alive, and even if Takeo thought of them as people, it was so obvious they couldn't wait to die, pleading for Takeo to shoot them down. Beside a twisted mercy he provided by killing, Takeo had another reason to fight. He _wanted_ to _live_. To get out of the maze, to eat, drink and sleep. To keep his friends safe.

He wanted to live. Until one day when Krantz saw that look he saw many times before on the boy's wan face.

Every man had his breaking point and if they push a little more Takeo will break in a way Krantz didn't want it to happen. He was too good to lose like this.

"Why isn't he shooting?" Dr Aris was becoming more impatient by the minute. The scientists didn't know how to answer her which made her even more aggravated. "You _told_ _me_ he was a _success_. That meat's not even fighting back! Why isn't it _dead_?!"

"Because _it_ wants to _live_ ," Krantz grumbled in his mind. The doctor and the scientists acted so smart when they didn't know first thing about real life.

"M-maybe he doesn't understand what… what he needs to do? H-he didn't face a real human before?" Suggested one scientist meekly.

"Is he an idiot?" Dr Aris snarled and the scientist almost fell of his chair. "How's it different?"

"Oh, but it is," Krantz thought to himself. "Ending a life is always different. It's a line that stops existing once you cross it. Not many can take the weight of the act even when they are convinced of being righteous."

"Krantz," she addressed him and he stiffened waiting for an order. "Remind him."

Krantz grabbed the mike and turned it on. "It's been eighty-five days, Takeo. I hope you didn't get too attached to this place."

It was worth a shot to try to snap him out of it with a jibe, but it failed. Krantz leaned in to see the screen on which was the live broadcast.

"This is the last one, Takeo. Kill it and you're out." He sounded almost friendly which made Dr Aris frown in revulsion. Mindfulness looked hideous on Krantz's face.

"The hell are you doing, Krantz? I don't have time for chit chat," she said. "Are we done here or not?"

(She was right, damn it.)

"This is an order, Takeo. Finish what you've started and you'll get your pills. Kill it so we can move on. Don't waste our time."

"Call Yuri." Dr Aris commanded one of her underlings.

"Do I have to repeat myself? How many times are we gonna do this?" Krantz knew the situation better than anyone, he knew he was the last person wanting to terminate such a beneficial subject as Takeo, but being ignored hurt his ego. "Kill the trash, obey your leader and your _owner_ , or mark my words I will _drag_ you here and _strap_ you down to a chair and you will have a front row seat to the bloodbath that will become of your friends if you don't do as I say!"

"I thought we were past this! That's what it _means_ being a success!" She was huffing, walking around the room.

"Takeo!"

Dr Aris was cursing and then she shut her mouth when Takeo suddenly moved. She glared at her fellow researchers. "Well, _finally_! This is preposterous. Unacceptable! I let you play with _my_ pet and you pay me back like this?" She turned to Krantz. "Kill all of these pigs and when you're done, go down there and educa-"

She went mute. If mindfulness looked hideous on Krantz, then the way his eyes went wide looked disturbing.

His hand slammed over the control panel so fast she blinked in shock. She watched as two walls glided, coming at each other like two palms starting an applause. They ran towards Takeo hitting him on both sides, capturing him in their grip. It was with such velocity and power that Dr Aris thought the walls flattened her souvenir like a pancake. She wasn't sure if he could regenerate from being treated like that.

Fortunately, when the walls retrieved, Takeo was still very much alive. He was bleeding heavily and his gun was in pieces, but the machines picked up his pulse. He collapsed on the floor like a wet rag and didn't move again. She was somewhat upset that the walls were enough to put down one of her most advanced works. Then again, after more than twelve weeks without the pills, staying alive after such an impact was more than impressive.

If Takeo had pulled the trigger, there wouldn't have been a way to save her work. The bullets were specifically designed to disable and kill super humans, beside, of course, the regular ones. Hell, even if Takeo were in a top notch state, a hole in a brain would have been more than challenging to heal.

Yes, the Takeo project was for a laud; such a feat was rare even for that pig Crombel. And it was almost destroyed!

"What the hell?!" She shrieked like a banshee. "Was that a fucking _suicide_ attempt?! I leave you morons alone for two seconds and you ruin _everything_! Why do I bother hiring psychologists and psychiatrist if they can't sniff out a simple bloody depression? We're a freaking drugstore here! Give him something!"

"D-doctor, doctor, please, it's… it's not _just_ …" Uttered one of the braver scientists. Or one of the stupider.

"What is it then?" She swung the scientist across the room. "You telling me my sweet, darling Takeo, my _personal_ pet, hates me _so_ much he wants to _off_ himself? What the hell was the purpose of the training? He should be fucking over it!"

"So she _was_ aware of it," Krantz thought as he tried to stay calm in a small room with the enraged Dr Aris.

"Krantz!" She called and he looked at her. "You go with Yuri and get those motherfuckers from what's it call Asian slum and-"

"As much as I'd enjoy ripping them apart, I doubt it will solve our problem. He's already decided death is a better option than life. If we bring them here, torture them and kill them, that's only gonna fire up his resolve to _never_ yield." It wasn't his habit to interrupt her, but Krantz wanted to find a solution that will actually work as fast as possible.

"So I should just dispose of him? I'd rather rip _you_ apart." She was fuming. " _You_ were responsible for him, _leader_."

"I've just saved him for you." Krantz gave his best to keep himself poised and hide the shivering. Dr Aris was such a small woman, yet so frightening. She needed him for her project, but the bitch was insane. "Yuri didn't give me anything to work with."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you could discipline anyone, no matter their background or personality." She said dryly. "You said _everybody_ -"

"He _doesn't_ have it!" Krantz raised his voice but didn't shout.

" _It_?"

"It. That _something_. The drive. The will to live no matter what." He explained, while his fists trembled. "But that's not the real problem here. That's just the after effect of everything. _Yuri_ made a _mistake_ offering him to you as a candidate. Takeo doesn't have what it takes to _do_ this job. Sure, you can always try and coerce a person, but I have _nothing_ to work with."

(Yep, the bitch was crazy, but she could still listen to reason from time to time. Especially if the source of that reason was someone she knew had first-hand experience with the stuff.)

"So… he doesn't have it." She nodded slowly like she was caught deeply in thought. "Then, I guess… we can make _it_ ourselves."

Krantz knew her well enough to know she was plotting something despicable. He only hoped that whatever she was planning wasn't going to screw up Takeo beyond repair. He could eat him right away if it happened, but doing so would be like drinking a one day old vine. Underwhelming.

* * *

 **Author's notes part 2 – chapter 11**

Some fun facts (that you probably already know):

I did some research about what goes inside a sniper's head. I couldn't find a lot and as everything else it depends on the individual and the circumstances.

A study into snipers in Israel, for example, has shown that snipers are much _less_ likely than other soldiers to dehumanise their enemy. Part of the reason for this may be that snipers can see their targets with great clarity and sometimes must observe them for hours or even days. Snipers almost never referred to the men they killed as targets, or used animal or machine metaphors. Some interviewees even said that their victims were legitimate warriors.

On the other hand, snipers can be pure sadists. A study into non-army snipers compliments the research of some psychiatrists that says _some_ snipers have profiles of meticulous narcissists who enjoy playing God. It makes them feel good deciding whether to pull the trigger or not, especially because it's hard to target the sniper on the battlefield and bring him in immediate danger as other soldiers.

Some drabble:

Yep, bio-robots are those experiments that fought against Franky when Dr Aris abducted him.

As always, I do some digging and then interpret the info in my own way, so take all of it with a grain of salt.

It was challenging writing this chapter, there were a lot of things I wanted to fit in there and I think I did ok. I kinda did my version of "life flashing before one's eyes".

I also wanted to address Takeo's suicidal tendencies, because he sure has them in the comic, but I never saw him as a coward or a weakling for it. If anything, it just made him a more complex character that wasn't used as much as I'd have liked. When it comes to him, sacrificial and suicidal are deeply entwined. He's not afraid to die (that time in the comic when the RK realise they can't rely on Rai because of his health condition and are urged to leave the house, to abandon Rai and Franky and save themselves, he's like _Then we'll just die (if we can't protect ourselves)_ ). And I'm not even gonna start about Teira. We'll get to her.

Leave some thoughts and comments.

See you soon!


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

 **Author's notes part 1 – chapter 12**

Fun fact – The following note was written before chapter 510 of the comic:

 _I'm_ _ **so**_ _happy M-21 killed that bitch. (Or did he? I don't know, it's so vague, I hope he did, tough.) I used to think Takeo and Tao should have had the honours, but now… No, M-21 was the right choice. For many great reasons, but I'm not gonna bore you with that now. Perhaps I'll write about him one day too. I do have some ideas. What do you think? Would you like to read something about M-21?_

I'm kind of glad Yuri and Aris are still alive (I hope this means we'll have some closure with her and DA5), yet I'm so disappointed at the same time because I think M-21 kicking their asses and ultimately killing them was poetic in a way. I think if M-21 met those two he would have done everything in his power to bring them down. He'd do it for himself – to prove he's not a failure (he can't destroy the Union and I don't think he'll be able to kill Crombel so small victories are fine). And I believe he'd do it for his friends – to make sure Aris and Yuri never touched them again. I see M-21 as a protective bro, you know, being a pack animal and all that.

On with the story.

* * *

The moment he smelled the air he knew he had failed.

It was such a stark difference compared to the one he was breathing for weeks, the one he was sharing with his comrades. The heavy air tainted by the stink of scorched stale meat became something of a normality to him. Disturbing or not, it was a smell of his _senpai_ , of the people who helped him when he was at his lowest by giving him what he desperately needed in order to move on: the enlightenment. They helped him understand himself and, for the first time in his life, he felt he can also _accept_ himself and be… at peace. He was _peaceful_ because he made a choice he believed in for the people he loved _and_ for _himself_ … (Who Takeo could now say without shame that he didn't despise anymore.)

Rust, fire and oily sweat. That was the breath of his brothers in arms and every time the bio-robotic eyes would stop glowing… Every time he heard the last drawn breath leave their rigid lips, Takeo would taste copper and salt in his dry mouth, a lasting sensation that grew stronger by the day, a proof he was truly becoming one of them. And he felt right. That place was right. Their _final_ place.

The air of the place he woke up to was toxic.

Clean, fresh and warm.

The ventilation buzzing in his ears stirred up his dulled senses. It moved the air around him making him realise that he, too, smelled of disinfectant… Not soap, there was no sweet odour; just an eerie feeling of thorough cleanness on his cracked skin. It was as if somebody made their personal mission to rinse out even the slightest of filth left on him.

He moved his head and let out a weak moan when a wet strand of hair stroked his cold face. He tried swallowing, looking for that distinct taste on his tongue and, when he found it, he began breathing calmly once again, just as he was before he regained consciousness.

Yes, he failed.

He was still alive. Takeo couldn't really remember how they had stopped him from pulling that trigger, but they obviously did. A thought of his tormentors being irreversibly insane popped up into his head and he even nodded in agreement. They must be really touched in the head to still want him after everything he'd done. (Why couldn't they get the bloody message? So stubborn…)

Then again, who was Takeo to speak of stubbornness? At this very moment, while he couldn't yet keep his eyes open long enough to see what's going on, he was contemplating the marvellous idea he got when he swallowed for the second time.

He could bite his tongue off.

He failed, but hope was not lost. He could still make it right.

And then a massive hand slapped him so hard his world started spinning. His enhanced senses spiked up and sound and space found their place in his mind.

"All that's gonna do is make you mute. For a quiet guy like you that may not seem as a loss, but I actually like it when you snap. Therefore, I'm not letting you take away my rare moments of joy."

Takeo heaved and rose his head with great effort. Even if he couldn't recognise the ruff way of speech right away, the towering stand was a crucial give-away. The black shadow of a brawny man in the pale room moved, allowing a blinding ray of light to fall on Takeo. He winced hitting his back on a firm steal chair he was strapped down to. He immediately closed his eyes in order to compose himself, because there was no way he was going to show fear in front of that monster. The way Krantz peered at him gave an impression that the prick thought _he_ was the reason for Takeo's twitching; that couldn't be further from the truth.

It wasn't even about _fear_. Takeo wasn't really sure _what_ it was about, but it got nothing to do with the arrogant bastard. The light simply resembled the red laser beams and his foggy mind mistook its sudden appearance for an open fire. That's all.

But it wasn't the laser and his shoulders sagged under the pressure of growing tiredness.

"So, Takeo… Was the maze so fun that you never wanted to leave?" He expected it to come out more snobbishly; Krantz's tone trod a fine line between some perverted version of care and merciless scold.

Takeo slowly opened his eyes and stared back at him with a blank expression. Again, he thought he'd spit at Krantz for his patronising attitude, yet… In spite of still hating the man, he had no strength- No _desire_ to react at all.

The bottom line was – Takeo had nothing to say to him.

Krantz must have picked up on that, because he stayed quiet for a moment. He followed Takeo's every movement with his experienced eyes and continued to observe him when the Asian tilted his head to look at the two figures standing in the back of the small square room.

The wet hair obstructed his view and Takeo thought that the visit to the hairdressers was way past overdue. Long hair was such a bother and beyond impractical in battle. He never really liked how it looked on him in the first place. The only reason he let it grow was because of Rin-chan.

There was a period he was so busy at the restaurant that he didn't have time to trim it. Rin-chan happened to eat one night at his work place and see him wear a ponytail. It was the first time she complimented him. It was the first time they exchanged more than a "hello" and a "goodbye" actually, so it was quite a memorable evening for Takeo.

(Dear God, he could be so stupid sometimes. Like… right now. What was he even thinking about?)

He was feeling weird. And very tired.

When he sleepily tried to reach his face, his wrist was squeezed under a leathery belt which pinned his hand to the chair. Only then did he notice that he was tied up.

His hands and legs were trapped underneath a tightly wrapped belts which were cutting off his circulation. That could explain why he felt feverish, but not why he didn't just rip them off with his super strength.

The next few tries of escape had no desired results – which was somewhat scary, but not scary enough to worry him. He could barely move his fingers, feeling like they've gone numb. Maybe that made sense; he _was_ cold after all.

He waved his head in disagreement. After losing track of his thoughts for a couple of times he came to conclusion the only way to control his mind and make it deal effectively with the problem at hand was to physically nudge it in the right direction. It was so hard to think and _hear_ yourself think, otherwise.

His arms waggled restlessly, a backseat operation of his overwrought mind. There was no concrete plan in sight, nor was there energy to follow it. In this moment of reckoning, Takeo was a puppet with a broken mechanism. Single-mindedly, he stared at his useless body not understanding that the current tactic is not working and that he needed to devise another. He didn't even stop to think _why_ it wasn't working.

That was partly because he didn't really care what will happen next. He was done. He knew he was done. _They_ knew he was _done_ with all the bullshit. It didn't matter what they did to him now; he had already made up his mind. And if they actually believed that bringing his friends from Sapporo will change anything, they better think twice.

How many times did they use such a threat? Takeo had more than enough time to accept it and deal with it.

Certainly, choosing to be their pawn would spare his friends. Unfortunately, Takeo had established that he didn't have it in him to actually go through with it. It was disappointing – having to realise that in the end, against his initial beliefs, he _wasn't_ ready to do _everything_ for others. However, after long debates with himself he understood that _that_ was ok.

It was for the best. He shouldn't beat himself up over it.

Of course, Takeo will be sad if they really end up dragging his friends here. (Was seeing them in this hellhole enough to change his mind? Did he think their fates would be better if he yields? No.) It was naive to expect the Union to free his friends after bringing them here. Perhaps the Elders will spare them the torture of the experiments since they considered them a low class meat, but they will surely kill them to keep their unholy existence a secret.

(Did he think the guilt from forsaking his beloveds will sway him? No. If anything, their deaths will give him strength to refuse the Union once again. Out of pure spite.)

So… Why would he ever surrender his soul?

They had _nothing_.

They had nothing to threaten him with anymore, because they knew his answer to such methods. Sure, maybe suffocating in one's own blood was not going to kill a super soldier, but Takeo was not ready to give up. If they plan to keep him alive against his will, he'll make them regret such a decision by making _their_ lives a living hell until the day he finally dies. (He had a talent for it, he might as well use it deliberately for once.

(Why was he so scared then?)

And Krantz still watching him in silence made him feel even worse. (The prick should have berated him long ago for his annoying squirming. Where were all the insults and jabs?)

Takeo thought he should stop. He ordered himself to stop fidgeting and take a long breath to calm down. He told himself that it didn't matter. It wasn't important to get the blasted belts of. He shouldn't care, because… Because…

There was no way they could hurt him more than they already did.

It was over.

(Right?)

Something was wrong. He was feeling wrong. The belts were bothering him and he couldn't explain why. Was he backing out on the deal he made with himself? After everything he's done and said? He couldn't afford to rethink it. To hesitate. They'll see something is up and use the moment of doubt to manipulate him. He was scared he might fall for it and his sloppy mind did nothing to help him dismiss the dreadful possibility.

Scared…

He had a problem. He couldn't allow for a problem to be _him_.

Takeo let out an incomprehensible sound while his hands were still trashing around. He bent closer to his arm, attentive gaze fixated on the belt that was starting to leave red marks on his wrist. And while he still couldn't understand why he couldn't free himself, the two forgotten figures in the back took a step closer.

"I do not believe they will be getting off any time soon," a familiar voice jarred at his ears and stole the attention from the resilient bindings.

Takeo's head rose up so fast his vision swirled for a second. That didn't stop him from recognising the blonde locks on a flat face that spoke.

The blonde… it was that _blonde_ … That _Yuri_ person… He… _he_ started it _all_. The foreigner from the alley.

Takeo was angry, which was expected, but he was not as angry as he thought he would be upon seeing that emotionless smile again.

He glanced at the red haired women standing next to Yuri who was analysing him with her big yellow fish eyes that didn't blink. She concealed her thin lips with long fingers that tapped her nose as if she was lost in thought.

But she wasn't lost. She was hundred percent present and her eyes knew exactly _what_ they were observing. They were looking right through Takeo and made shivers run down his spine. As on que his hands started moving again without his consent.

"Oh dear, still resisting. You haven't changed a bit," Yuri was speaking again. "While you're sedated you haven't got the slightest chance of ripping those off, so you better use your energy on something potentially more productive."

Sedated… so he was drugged. It was the drug. Still very much scary, but that meant there was nothing wrong with him. He was still Takeo – the one that made the final choice. He wasn't wavering. This gnawing feeling was not hesitancy. _He_ was not the problem.

Takeo sighed with a strange sense of relief. Relaxed, he managed to eventually close his eyes and still his arms. Surprisingly, even though he was still slightly shaking, he didn't feel that scared anymore. With his head now resting on the chair, he opened his eyes again and opposed their studying looks with his indifferent.

"My… One would think a man would start sobbing from despair, yet here you are, maintaining your cool. Such a fine specimen indeed."

"Hmpf!" Krantz crossed his arms in annoyance and took a stroll across the room.

"Don't mind your leader. He's maybe sulking, but he agrees wholeheartedly with me on this one," Yuri smiled.

Takeo took a steady breath, his breathing now completely normal. Yuri was looking at him as if he was waiting for something. If he was pausing to make Takeo join in for a 'pleasant' conversation, he had another thing coming.

Takeo had absolutely nothing to say to him either, even though he could recall a time when he'd daydream about shouting bloody murder at the blonde.

"Tell us, Takeo, how did your training go? Anything you wish to share with us?" Yuri was so polite it sounded as if he was talking to his superior. "Of course, if you'd prefer to keep it between you and me, my friends will leave the room."

Krantz shook his head while he listened to the dead silence of the metal chamber.

"No?" Yuri fixed his glasses. "Ah… Right, I forgot to introduce myself, how silly of me. My name is Yuri. As you may recall I had brought you here?"

Takeo looked at him for a while with the same vacant expression and then he slowly turned his head to the side, not meeting his eyes anymore.

"And how do you like this place?"

Takeo shifted in his seat – as far as the bindings allowed it – to find a more comfortable position. From the way stupid questions kept on coming Takeo could deduce that the rambling will last for quite a while.

"It can be quite extreme, but when people dream, they often relay on extreme measures to realise those dreams. You understand, don't you?"

(Why was he still talking when it was clear Takeo wished to have no part in it? What was the point of it anyway? Was this some kind of a twisted foreplay to the eminent drubbing?)

"As a fellow dreamer?"

(What was he talking about?) Takeo closed his eyes thinking that it didn't matter in the end. He loathed the blonde, but he couldn't care less about him or about this place anymore. (Wasn't it obvious?) Apparently not. Yuri crouched next to him; the man was now on Takeo's eye level.

"Right now… you look like you're sleeping," said Yuri. "I wonder what you're dreaming about."

Despite of it all, that elegant voice was making him a bit nervous.

"Home?" Yuri continued unaffected by the absence of an answer. "It is a beautiful one, I understand completely. You must miss it a lot."

"Your threats are useless," Takeo thought and stayed absolutely still.

"That is why it is rather hard for me to believe that you don't care about it anymore. Pulling a gun at yourself, really, Takeo?" Yuri tsked. "Such reckless behaviour isn't bravery, my dear boy. Although, I don't think you were trying to be brave. I don't think that was a moment of weakness, either. Contrary to many, I find suicidal people selfish and strong, not weak. Or… that could be just _you_. By the way you shot at those poor buggers, I don't think you were truly affected by the deaths you have witnessed, nor do I think you believed that the last man should be saved. No… he was just an excuse. I mean, look at you!"

Yuri gestured at Takeo's seemingly uninterested sleeping face.

"Cold as ice." Yuri grazed Takeo's chin and pulled away a wet strand of hair from his face. Takeo had to give his all to suppress a shiver. He gritted his teeth so hard he was sure they were going to break if the blonde didn't get the hell out of his personal space. "Some need to train for years to have that kind of presence, but you… You're a natural. And you want me to believe a man like that showed mercy from the bottom of his heart to a half-dead, beat-up thug? Sacrificing yourself for someone you know nothing about? No. So, what could have possibly went wrong inside of that clever head of yours? I think… you've gotten a little confused and thought your death would mean safety for your home."

 _"It's useless."_ Takeo repeated the thought like a mantra trying to tune him out.

"Now… I don't blame you. People here can be insensitive and say cruel things they don't actually mean. They might have given you a wrong impression that killing yourself would make everything right. Alas, that's not how it works."

 _"Useless."_

"How do you plan on ever seeing them again if you're dead?"

 _"_ … _What…?"_

"You want to see them again, don't you?" Yuri put his hand on the boy's thigh. Takeo's fingernails dug into palms, but he was too distracted by what _Megane_ was saying to notice the fast whitening of his knuckles. "Well, of course you do, and you will. Whoever said you'll never leave this place?"

 _"What… What's happening?"_

"You'll have to do a couple of things for us first, but that doesn't mean you won't be allowed to visit them. They worry about you immensely. I know, I worked with the police on your disappearance case as an international consultant."

Japanese. _Yuri_ spoke in _Japanese_. And what he said… It was impossible for Takeo to not react to it.

Yuri obviously believed that was a great sign.

"That girl… What's her name, ah, sweet Rin-san. The poor thing was crying her eyes out. Not to mention the rest of the neighbourhood. They wouldn't let the police go in peace. You are quite popular," Yuri spoke with a hidden grin while Takeo stared at him.

Yuri _thought_ the sly smile was hidden; even though Takeo had drugs pumped up into his veins and even though his heart was thrumming in his ears from a myriad of emotions that found their way to his trembling eyes – he could still see the lying fox that was Yuri.

What was _happening_? As he suspected, they were trying a different method of manipulation. An unexpected one that highlighted the giving, not the taking part. The one that made you feel like equals in the exchange… Important, even. This method might have worked the first time he had awoken at the institute. Not now, though. Never now. Not even for an instant. Takeo knew better.

And even if they meant it, Takeo had no intention of ever doing their dirty work. Those couple of things of theirs would definitely kill _Takeo_ and everything he ever was. He wasn't planning to return to his friends like that.

He wasn't planning to return. Period. Going back meant his friends would have to deal with the Union in one way or the other. He'd rather kill himself then let them ever _know_ about such evil. Not to mention be involved with it.

How many times does he need to explain this until it gets through their thick skulls? He had even demonstrated it!

"How about it? You work for us and you'll have Sapporo… And anything else that will make you feel content. Is there anything else? There must be, and as you were able to witness today, all of us gathered here are ready to listen and talk with you should you ever wish to express yourself or complain about something. Communication is always the best solution to every problem. We know that now." Yuri patted him on the leg. "So? Would you like to talk? About your friends or… about your family? I heard from Rin-san that you weren't originally from Sapporo. I suppose, you might want to visit your home town too. We better make a list of all your relatives as soon as possible, so that we can prepare and be ready."

(What… the hell was this? Was their opinion of him so low? They honestly thought he was a bloody idiot which was not surprising, but still, it was borderline insulting… and in such a condescending way…?)

"Your family must be worried sick. Had I known who they are I could have eased their hearts a bit. An awful oversight on my part. I beg for your forgiveness."

Forgiveness… _Forgiveness?_

Did he think the reason Takeo hadn't jumped off the chair and bitten through his neck artery upon seeing him again was because Takeo had let bygones be bygones? Did they think he's silence was him agreeing to it and letting it all go?

 _"You fucking psychos! You're just not worth my time! You're not worth my breath and effort, you're not worth it! You're all worthless shits and I had it with you!"_

They thought they knew him just because they observed him through thick glass for few months. They thought they were qualified to asses him and tell him why he did what he did? To tell him what he _will_ do? They didn't know shit!

"You think I'm so stupid to tell you about Tama-san? For a fucking _pretty please_?" Takeo thought, the rage filling him to the brim.

Takeo was pissed. At the same time he felt so proud, because an obnoxious know-it-all like Yuri couldn't find anyone in Tokyo. Hell, he didn't even know Tokyo was the place where he should search. He had to act like a pussy and _beg_ in order to gain the wanted information. It made that asshole and a whole of the mighty Union look _pathetic_ which in turn made Takeo feel more alive than he felt in a long time.

It made him want to laugh loudly to all of their faces.

"Do we have a deal, my friend?" Yuri asked with an uncharacteristically unsure tone, as if he noticed the sharpening of Takeo's eyes. In that glare, none of the emotions that touched his heart a second ago could be found.

Takeo was glad to hear his mother tongue. On the other hand, Yuri's insufferable voice was blighting all of its beauty. He wanted him to shut up and never speak again. He wanted to make it perfectly clear that his intention of getting Takeo on his good side by speaking in Japanese backfired. In his native language all of the lies and little mind tricks were even more apparent.

"You… What's up with all this talking?" Takeo hissed.

For the first time since the start of a boring one-sided conversation, Krantz turned around to face the Asian brat while Dr Aris blinked in interest.

"You already have my answer, you pathetic scumbags!" He whispered with such power that it echoed in the empty room.

Yuri's reaction was priceless. He developed an actual facial tick Takeo had only seen in anime as a child.

The blond tried his best to hide it and resume with his graceful posture. He put on a usual flat smile that felt so crooked and unnatural now, with his eyes slightly open and his jaw frozen in an awkward position.

It made Takeo's day.

"What did he say?" Dr Aris asked impatiently and that pulled Yuri out of his stupor. He stood up and corrected the button on his sleeve, still trying to control the fury inside him.

Unlike Dr Aris, Krantz didn't need a translator to know what the brat said. As he predicted, things are going to go sour with rapid speed.

"He declined our offer," said Yuri in a crisp manner.

Krantz could have sworn Takeo said more than that. He had spent enough time with him to know what to expect when he grimaces like that, but opted not to comment on Yuri's translation. It was better if Dr Aris didn't know what kind of an insult her darling pet spat to her face.

Krantz had to admit he enjoyed Yuri's inner squirming. If there wasn't Dr Aris to please, the blonde would have wrung the kid's neck. Had he been in the same position, Krantz would have probably done the same thing. He wasn't, however, and that made him snicker quietly to himself.

Dr Aris turned her head to Yuri as if she didn't catch that last bit. She then cast a glance towards Takeo who looked ready to fight till the very end. His aura was strong, even though all the colour was drained from his face. His eyes behind the long strands of hair sank into the dark circles of fatigue. His lips were cracked but not trembling, even though he must have been cold; that thin white suit that was so tight she could see a few of his ribs whenever he'd breathe in.

He lost a couple of pounds. She gave him some first aid and infusion after they pulled him out of the maze. Thanks to his enhanced body he was already looking better. You couldn't say he was starved for eighty plus days. Indeed, he didn't look as handsome as he did when she first saw him, yet there was something exhilarating in a way he just sat there and stared at his tormentors as they were nothing but mare bugs. No, not even bugs.

In that wretched state her dear Takeo was stronger than she ever saw him. She felt a strange mixture of arousal and wrath forming in her stomach. Dealing with him wasn't business anymore. It was personal.

And in that exact moment she knew.

She _had_ to have him.

"Hard way it is, then," she said barely moving her lips.

Both Krantz and Yuri knew what that meant. Krantz placed a medical gun in her elevated hand. He took it out of the suitcase in the corner of the room the moment Yuri opened his posh mouth, knowing that this was the only way today's so-called _negotiations_ were gonna end.

Despite her describing it as troublesome, he knew Dr Aris couldn't wait to try out the method. The familiar childish excitement was evident in her wide open eyes. There was also something else he never saw on her face before. Krantz now understood that playing with Takeo was not just business with occasional pleasure anymore.

Unconsciously, Krantz stepped away from Dr Aris, his fears floating to the surface, and crossed his hands in attempt to protect himself. There was no need for that, since Dr Aris had eyes only for the Asian kid.

"If I may, doctor?" Yuri asked with regained composure.

"You may leave. I'll call you when it's done."

"He wasted our time and she's not even gonna rebuke him for his failure," Krantz thought. "I guess an ass kisser like him can get away with everything."

Not having a complete bio on a future subject was not a mistake – it was unforgivable unprofessionalism. Because of Yuri's carelessness they now had to apply measures that had never moved from the experimental phase.

"You go with him, Krantz. I want some alone time with our little friend here."

"As you wish." He followed the blonde in hope that this experiment won't waste even more time. He wanted it to work, because, damn, if it doesn't, Takeo's a goner and Krantz really wanted to eat that dish.

The doors were locked once again and Takeo was left alone with the red haired woman who held a suspicious looking gun in her small hand. The more she analysed him with her yellow glowing eyes the faster he was losing interest in her.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot, Takeo," she said in a sweet voice. "My name is Aris. I'm your doctor."

Dr Aris… The bitch who made it all possible. How nice. She looked exactly how he had imagined her: clinically insane and ugly on both sides. And… that was it. That was all he had to say about that.

It didn't matter who she was.

She was going to hurt him.

And he was not going to give in.

Takeo could be a very patient person when he sets his mind to something. He might be wrong, but he had a feeling _she was not_. He wondered how long it will take until she realises her life was living hell.

(Let the game begin.)

"We'll be spending some quality time together." She inspected a short needle in her gun. "I'm already looking forward to it. You?"

She was now really close. Still, it would take more than a menacing posture and some flimsy torture weapon to make him move a muscle and comply. On one hand, the reason for it was because he didn't give a damn and he was determined to show her that; on the other, it was a survival instinct he had learnt long ago. Usually, when you take away the pleasure of violence that is fear, misery and forced submissiveness out of the victim, the bully loses its interest in further abusing. Unfortunately, this woman was nothing like your typical bully.

"I'm so excited!" She smiled.

Suddenly, she caught a fistful of his hair and yanked him to the side. Takeo tried to release himself from her grip, but the sedative was still very effectively circling through his system. It rendered his body useless, his physical ability being even worse than when he was just a regular human. It must have been a special kind of drug used on beings like him for a shove from a small woman to be enough to make him immobile.

"There, there, it'll take a second." She pressed the barrel on his tensed neck and pulled a trigger.

He could feel the needle prick his skin releasing the unknown fluid into the bloodstream. When the small barrel was empty, she let him go. Without a word she walked to the corner and left the gun, than turned around and took a chair which Takeo didn't notice before. She pulled it in front of him and sat down, crossing her bare legs that looked like chopsticks covered by a short dress that revealed far too much. Never did a smile vanish from her face.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't unsettled by the turn of events. Being beaten and yelled at was different from being drugged. Drugs were still uncharted territory for Takeo, leaving a lot of space for surprises he was never a fan of.

Takeo tried to calm himself by taking long and deep breaths. He almost succeeded, but then she opened her wide mouth coloured in crimson red.

"Now… I'm gonna tell you what's going to happen."

* * *

 **Author's notes part 2 – chapter 12**

Well… this is what I call the bad guys' intervention.

I enjoyed writing this because I got the chance to reference one of my favourite scenes from the comic and ease into the whole brainwashing thingy.

In the episode 255 Yuri finds Tao and Takeo and with the help of another ass (I can't remember his name) beats the crap out of them. I loved the conversation between Takeo, Tao (mostly Tao) and Yuri, it gave such a wonderful insight in their relationship and told us more about Yuri's personality. My cherry on top was when Yuri started interrogating a beat down Takeo and Takeo was like, _"Yuri. What's up with all this talking? Shut up and just kill me."_ With the M-21's trademarked smirk on his face none the less!

You could say that was a classic good-guy-gives-a-middle-finger-to-the-bad-guy-to-show-the-readers-how-honourable-and-cool-he-is and you'd be correct, but for me that scene was so much more _because_ of Yuri. What he said, the way he said it and the way he _looked_ at Takeo. My god, he was such a good villain.

By the way, I know M-21 is our cute cheeky bastard, but I believe he was heavily influenced by Franky and then encouraged by Regis to evolve his cockiness. I think his behaviour could be a defence mechanism, a way to conceal his low self-confidence and self-esteem. On the other hand I think Takeo could be a natural sass (the one who isn't even aware of being sassy nor is he doing it on purpose). And I believe that's partly why he's the right person to level with both M-21 and Tao simultaneously.

I mean, if you remember, for those two and M-21 it was love at first sass (when M-21 played with Shark's nerves)…

And… I've got no clue where I was going with this. I like to ramble I guess… Oh, well, leave a comment and see you next time!


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

 **Author's notes part 1 – chapter 13**

Friday the 13th…

So, um, yeah, _brainwashing_ and some mentions of domestic violence with Dr Aris being _extra_ creepy and even discussing at moments, so… I'm just going to repeat the warning for this chapter, but I think you guys already know how I write. A bit disturbing, but nothing too explicit. On the side note, this was a really challenging piece to write. Hope I did ok.

Also, you might want to skim through chapter 1 and 4, since they were a _long_ time ago. There will be a lot of references to them in this chapter (and many other chapters too). A special 'easter egg kinda' connections to the chapter 2 and 6 are also here.

Be prepared guys, this will be the longest chapter of the story so far. I didn't want to split the "procedure" and I didn't want to omit a large author's note at the end (you don't have to read it, it's like 1800 words long XD).

Enjoy!

P.S. Next chapter will have Tao in it, I promise!

* * *

 _Here's what's gonna happen._

 _You will feel pressure forming in your head, a mild headache that you'll barely notice in the beginning, but then it will start pulsing like an open wound. The pressure will spread and grow in strength, but the pain it will cause will soon pass. Instead, there will be soreness and you'll feel like there is a huge bump on your forehead. Pulsing. Pumping all your blood in a strangely loud rhythm that is out of sync with your own pulse which is fading away in the background like any other sound you think you hear._

 _Your head will become big and too heavy for your stiff neck. Your shoulders will sag under the weight of it, pulling the rest of your body down. You will try to get up, but you will fail, not only because your limbs have gone limp, but also because you won't be sure which is up and which is down._

 _Your body is benumbed, your head is hanging. You'll try to move it and you will probably succeed a couple of times following the sound of ringing in your ears. You will not be aware of it at first, but in desire to move and escape, your head is now rocking in a steady rhythm of a loud pulse. When you do realise that the dark pressure, born in your mind, had grabbed you, you will try to stop moving. And you will fail._

 _This is the moment when you understand that you are trapped. Trapped in a movement. Again and again._

 _This is when your fear awakens and you try to guard yourself from everything. Alas, without you noticing, all your protective walls have fallen down since the first deep pulse. They've crumbled because nothing matters anymore except the loud darkness that enveloped your thoughts. You try to pull yourself together, you try to think. Think about the problem and find a solution. Ignore the fear and stay calm – It is what you do, no? So you think, searching for an answer while your body dances to the rhythm…_

 _The more you think about the dark, the more you focus on it… The more you ignore the other things that are happening around you. You shut everything down, because you need all you've got, all your senses and all your attention to figure out the problem._

 _The only thing you are capable of thinking is the darkness. It has become your mind and your thoughts are not words now. In the darkness, where you can see nothing, the thoughts are sounds. Your thought… is a sound. Your mind… the pulse._

 _The pulse is you,_ _ **you**_ _are the_ _ **pulse**_ _. It beats inside you like a heart. It feeds you life._

 _Without it you are dead._

 _You are panicking._

 _You want to scream for help, but you can't. In all that overwhelming noise, you've lost your voice and you're desperate to find it. You're searching for it relentlessly like a thirsty man seeks water. You know how it is to be thirsty, and you can't handle it._

 _You need to find it, but you've been searching for so long now, you don't know what you had lost anymore. And that doesn't make it better, on the contrary. You are completely_ _ **obsessed**_ _with_ _ **it**_ _. You feel like you're losing your mind, because you cannot relax without_ _ **it**_ _. And you_ _ **need**_ _to relax. To feel safe and warm. You want to sleep. Sleep and forget about it all._

He wanted to sleep. To close his eyes and breathe deeply without any worry. His short breathes were in sync with the rocking rhythm of his head. He was unrelentingly looking for something. Not sure what it was, he knew it was similar to… It was… The trail of a sound that kept hitting him on the head like drops of water.

He had to find it. He needed it to stop.

The agony had to end.

But it was just the first round of the ruthless game. The first round…

Deep down inside he still remembered that he was drugged, that this was not real and that he had to fight it and stop it. At the same time destroying the sound made him panic, because it pained him not to be able to feel the pulse.

And the pain will kill him.

He knew death was what he wished for. He longed for it, he was _ready_ for it.

And he just _couldn't_ let himself die.

He needed to find something first.

 _Suddenly, you will hear…_

Takeo flinched to the sound. It was the same, yet different. It was strong… It was close.

He saw red. Red.

Tap.

Takeo knew Dr Aris was in the room.

Tap. Tap.

He remembered how she looked like. _She_ was the red.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Red hair and crimson lips hidden behind a finger that moved.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

He remembered everything she said. Everything she was saying for a… Well, it felt like hours, but Takeo knew it was only twenty minutes since she started explaining her drug. Right from the start, he wanted to mute her in his head, to protect himself from the web of lies and some screwed up form of manipulation she was planning to perform. To shut any additional noise in order to control his super hearing and concentrate only on important stuff. (Just like he was taught in training.) Yet his morbid curiosity didn't allow him to ignore her properly. It was necessary to know with what he was injected in order to fight it. So he listened carefully keeping his cool.

She talked to him in a calm voice as if she truly cared for him to understand the procedure. He was smart enough to know that couldn't be right. As she patiently talked, giving an impression like she was always this calm and easy to follow, Takeo was beginning to feel that he should stop listening. Right there and then. She wasn't saying anything helpful anyway, he might as well stop being so… cooperative…

But she was still talking.

And he couldn't make a sound.

Why…? Was it because… the finger? The way it floated over her lips… it looked like he was being… hushed.

That was _ridiculous_.

But if it was, why did he then thought of it in the first place?

Takeo knew something was seriously wrong. Knowing everything, yet knowing nothing was such an agonising feeling. Painful. He needed it to stop. He had to find…

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

He saw her lips twisting into a satisfied grin behind a lanky finger. The finger.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Takeo became aware that the rocking had stopped. Instead, he was now staring at her finger that was gently touching her upper lip. It was absurd for a movement like that to create such a loud sound, even for someone with super hearing, but Takeo honestly believed it to be the loudest noise he had ever experienced.

And it continued.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Once again, his gut was telling him to block it out, to close his eyes, to be _very_ scared. He knew he was supposed to be scared because something abnormal and sick was happening. It was happening from the moment he was left alone with her. Alone…

He relaxed.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

She opened her mouth and he suddenly knew where his voice went.

"Do you want to talk?"

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Talk? Takeo wanted to scream and cry for help. He was wrong. Oh, how wrong he was! Again! There _was_ a way they could hurt him more than they already did. He didn't know how they'll do it, but he _knew_ they were doing it right _now_.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

This was different. He was not expecting this… Whatever _this_ was. This was not normal. It wasn't even a borderline "normal" torture. He would have never thought of something like this. What _was_ this, anyway? _What_ was happening?

"You need to relax. A relaxing talk will do you good."

His voice was talking. No… It was Dr Aris. She was the one doing the talking; Takeo knew the difference, yet he could feel himself slumping against the chair, his body now completely out of commission.

"Comfy chair in a cosy room."

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

The voice was right. It _was_ pretty comfortable.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

(No… no, no…)

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

(No, no, no, no… Stop…)

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

(Stop it, stop! What's happening?)

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

(Don't… don't do this… I beg you… No…)

"How about a story before you go to sleep?"

People always have a choice, even if it meant not making one at all. Even in the most bizarre and inescapable situations people still have some form of free will. You can argue that when Takeo made a choice to die he was not in the right state of mind. He was tortured, depressed and backed into a corner. You might even say he had _no_ choice.

And you'd be wrong.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

This… This is how it looked like when you have no personal will whatsoever.

With simple words, Dr Aris reduced Takeo to nothing.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

And Takeo still didn't understand what was happening.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

But somehow… Somehow he knew _this_ was going to destroy him.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

He endured for so long and now he'll fall after mere twenty-five minutes.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Hmm… I know. Why don't you tell me some stories from home?" Her voice was so sweet, Takeo could taste sugar in his mouth. "Hmm? About that restaurant you worked at? What was your job there?"

"Washing dishes." It sounded so alien to his own ears, Takeo wasn't sure he actually uttered those words. Unfortunately, it couldn't have been anyone else.

"For how long?"

"Six months." There was no reason to answer. No reason at all, yet he couldn't stop himself. The worst of it was that a large part of him didn't want to stop.

"Hmm… Why did you work at the restaurant?"

(No…)

"Nobody else wanted to hire me."

"Why?"

"I dropped out of school." Takeo had no control over what he was saying. He didn't even know what he'll say until he says it.

"Why?"

(No… no, don't.)

"I didn't want to go anymore." Takeo was the embodiment of inner screaming.

(Why… what...? Why is this happening?!)

"Why?"

"I was bad at studying and other kids hated me." He ordered himself to shut up and if he can't shut up then he should lie. (Just lie!) "I wanted to be somewhere else."

(Why are you telling her this?! Lie! Just lie to her, Takeo! You don't need to tell her! You don't _want_ to tell her! Just stop it!)

But he couldn't stop it. He couldn't even remember lying was an option when he opened his mouth. When he'd try to form a lie… any lie, the simplest of them all, his brain would shut down and his uncontrolled mouth would automatically take its place. His mind wasn't capable of producing anything but the truth. And when he tried to alter it just a smidgen… Or at least omit a part of it, he realised he couldn't even do that because, as he noticed a moment ago, he didn't know what he'll say _until_ he says it.

"Oh? Where?"

When he bit his tongue it wasn't because he _knew_ what will leave his mouth. He _felt_ it. This was the _last_ moment to stop this game and, at that short moment, he was so happy he managed to delay his yapping mouth. There was barely any time between the questions and the answers, but even when there was some his mind was preoccupied with the question. Not that it helped him figure out how to lie.

(Don't you _dare_! Takeo! Don't you dare tell her! Don't! Don't think about the question, think about something else! Anything else!)

He tried so hard not to think about the question, not to think about her and her lips that were speaking in his voice.

"Takeo?" She called his name with such warmth and familiarity.

Tap. Tap. Tap…

(No…) Her- His- _Her_ mouth opened.

"Relax, my dear, it's only chit chat."

Her- _His_ jaw went slack.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap…

"Where did you want to be?" She looked him square in the eye.

"With Tama-san." He didn't even stutter.

(You bastard! How could you?! Die! Just _drop dead_!)

"Tama-san?" Dr Aris tilted her head. She seemed rather intrigued. "Who is that?"

" _Oyabun_."

The Japanese word calmed him a bit, because he knew she didn't understand it. He wished he'd continue using his mother tongue. Perhaps he couldn't lie… He could speak gibberish, tough. He ordered himself to speak in Japanese, wondering why he didn't use it from the start. It _was_ his default language, was it not?

Was it?

"What does that mean?"

"Yakuza boss." Another failure.

"Ha!" A genuine surprise crossed her features. At that moment Takeo realised the woman didn't blink once since they started this painful conversation. Or he just didn't notice because all of his attention was on her lips and that one moving finger. "My little baby was involved with the mafia. How fascinating. How did we miss that?"

Takeo remembered the one sided conversation with Yuri, he remembered how she had observed and he knew that, despite her being insane, this woman was very smart. He _knew_ what the next question will be. It was as if he could read what was on her mind, or… more precisely, he felt she could read _him_ like an open book.

"Where is Tama-san?"

"Tokyo."

Knowing what was coming next did nothing to prepare him for the pain. He couldn't take it anymore. If she could read him…

(Stop, please, stop!)

"If you wanted to be with him, why were you in Sapporo?"

"I ran away."

"Why?"

"We fought."

"Why?"

"He wanted to get rid of me. I ran before he could do it." He almost chocked the moment the words left him. It caught him off guard how the answer was easy and fast, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. After so many times considering the reasons why he left the man, he never once got to the conclusion. He only knew- He was _convinced_ (and rightly so) that the pain he was feeling upon leaving was his own fault.

Not once did it occur to him that running away was him trying to _escape_ the pain. The pain of abandonment. Again, he was about to be tossed away and, since he couldn't stop it, he decided to do the next best thing – to control it. It wasn't Tama-san who betrayed him, it was Takeo who ended their relationship. It wasn't his mother who didn't care about her child, it was Takeo who left her with an ugly scar. His father was not a jerk, it was Takeo who played loudly with his toys.

(What…? What's happening…? Why is she asking these questions?)

Was this… true? Is this how Takeo saw things? He had made peace with himself when he accepted all of this to be his fault, for all of it to be on _him_. He was fine with it, but what if _all of this_ was just his way to make things seem normal, to make them have reason? What if there is _no_ reason? Was that worse than having one?

(What's happening… to me? Why…? Why do I have to… go through this? What, what is the reason, what does she want? What is she doing? Is, is she…? Are those my thoughts, or is this because of the drug? Is this my subconscious or something? What…?)

He could feel her glowing yellow eyes on him. Their light squeezed through the repetitive pulse. It was like a scene from a movie when the cops would put the suspect under a lamp light during an interrogation…

Interrogation… He was being interrogated. That's what this is all about.

(But why? Why?!)

"Tell me about Tama-san."

(For the love of God! Why?! Why can't you understand?! You've got nothing to threaten me with! You want to bring Tama-san here? _Fine!_ I don't care! I don't care what you say, I'm not changing my mind!)

"He's like a father to me."

"Hmm…" She licked her finger as if she just ate a tasty cookie and there was some of the sugar left on it. "What about your real father?"

His body shivered and she noticed. That woman carefully analysed the way his face twitched still not being able to look away. He clenched his teeth and shock his head to the side like somebody used a Taser on him. His eyes barely followed his head, still being glued to her finger. From the way Takeo squirmed in his seat, he looked ready to spontaneously combust from the inside.

"You need to tell me about your father, Takeo."

(Wait… no… No, isn't that enough? You've got Tama-san, isn't that what you wanted? No… no, what is this? This… This isn't about blackmail. But… Why… why is she doing this? It makes no sense. What are they doing?

(What are they gonna do to me?)

"You need to tell me."

(No! God damn it, no! Enough!)

His mind shrieked from sudden pain that in an instant took a hold of every inch of his body. He felt his muscles contract like a spring ready to tear. His muscles put a lot of strain on his bones and soon his spine was convulsing like he was in a middle of a seizure, his face burning up while Takeo tossed his head around as a last resort to put out the fire.

"Takeo."

He groaned through his teeth, lifting his head up so fast he hit it on the sharp edge of the chair. He wheezed leaning on the back of his seat and noticed something shifting and moving towards him. Dr Aris came into his view with her finger pressed on her chin.

"You _need_ to tell me."

Takeo was staring at her finger. It wasn't tapping.

The sound was gone.

"You want to tell me, don't you?"

He was going to die without the sound.

"You don't like it when it hurts," she continued in a voice that sounded remarkably like his own. "You don't want to die."

(No… Stop it… That's not me…!)

"You're a fighter, Takeo. Remember. You don't want to die."

Takeo _was_ a fighter, he's been fighting this whole time. He didn't need a reminder, yet he did remember it all, some parts better than the others. It was strange. She was strange. She was… If Dr Aris could read him then she could probably predict with great accuracy what was going through his head over the past few months. But the words, his thoughts, his reasoning, all of it, she was…

(Stop _twisting_ it!)

"You want the pain to be over."

(You're ruining everything!)

"I'll save you."

Tap.

"Aaahh…" A heavy sigh escaped his trembling lips.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The pain was lifting and once again Takeo was staring at her like he was hypnotised, his mind easing into the captivating rhythm of the pulse.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

For a moment he was so glad it was over.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

He then remembered she was destroying him with no effort at all. Bit by bit. With those beaming eyes she was devouring him, and with those words she was erasing him and everything he so desperately tried to salvage. Takeo was not going to wake up from this nightmare.

"Tell me about your father," she said after some quiet time.

"H- He was an alcoholic," Takeo mumbled weakly as one final attempt to rebel.

"Really?" She was enjoying this. "Was he violent?"

"… U- Used to b-beat me every day."

"How did that make you feel?"

"… Bad…"

"Bad," she repeated in a strange tone.

She wasn't _just_ echoing his thoughts, she was actually _telling_ him. It sounded like _she_ was answering in _his_ stead. Considering Takeo sounded nothing like himself, he was almost ready to accept it to be true, especially since he wasn't sure anymore if he had said the words first or just imagined it. It was getting hard to understand and remember _what_ he was saying.

And then… Takeo could have sworn she had said more. Her lips didn't move; he would have noticed if they did, yet he was convinced he had heard the voice say something other than just "bad" and her self-confident stare just made the feeling more real.

He didn't have time to think about it all, tough, because the moment she uttered _"You are feeling bad"_ everything else became of little and no importance.

He _felt_ it. The feeling was so powerful and so fresh, it was as if he was a weak kid again, too scared to even protect his head from large fists. Takeo could almost sense the blood dripping from his nose like it did the first time his father ever slugged him. The deep voice of a tall man slithered through the rapid pulse and Takeo could see himself standing in the man's shadow while being shrieked at and called names. All those times he felt so worthless, so _bad_ , all those demeaning moments – they all came rushing to his mind, even the ones he was certain were long forgotten.

And that made it even more overwhelming. That woman made him recall memories buried deep into his subconscious, things he didn't and wouldn't remember even if he wanted to.

"Do you know why he did that?"

Takeo hadn't even talked about this particular topic with Tama-san. If his mind wasn't as scrambled as it was, he would have never spoken about it with this bitch either. There wasn't much to tell, really, if you were seeking the truth. Takeo could probably waste hours (as he sometimes did) pondering over the reasons and explaining the conclusions he had gathered over the years. Truthfully, tough… If you were looking for the _real_ truth…

"I don't know." It should have surprised him that in the end he thought that way, but it didn't. Maybe… deep down he's always thought that way.

"What about your mother? Did she make you feel bad too?"

The question hang in the air. The icy air that stung his lungs.

"… Yes."

Takeo had never asked himself a question like that and he had certainly never connected such a feeling to his mother. Now, it was forever stuck in him.

"Oh?" Dr Aris wasn't even trying to hide the amusement. "So, she was beating you too."

Takeo opened his mouth to respond, but then he felt such a familiar slap across his cheek, the one that almost carved out his eye once. There was a vivid picture in his mind, him in a living room, stumbling over an empty bottle of beer and making racket. A hand slamming in his face and Takeo being too slow to close his eyes. Between the hits he saw a murky silhouette of none other than his father.

It was his father… Right?

Broad shoulders, thick fingers… They belonged to his father? No, he was imagining it, the fingers were thick and the hands were large because _he_ was so small.

It was his mother, he realised. Her long hear flipping over her face, making his vision blurry.

It was his mother.

She was beating him too.

"N… No…" Takeo whispered staring at Dr Aris who now wore a serious expression. She was analysing again, looking at him as if she too felt something was off.

"No?"

"No!"

(No, that's a lie- That never happened! It _never_ happened! Mother never hurt me like _this_! What is _this_? This is not…! This is not my memory!)

"She had never beaten me!" Takeo was panting, his gaze fixated on Dr Aris who had that look on her like she knew exactly what had transpired.

(What… What are you doing? What just happened?! What did you do?!)

"She had never beaten you."

That was all it took to silence Takeo's mind and calm his breathing. Against all reason he completely ignored the fact that something truly twisted had occurred. Somewhere deep inside he was aware that Dr Aris almost managed to _change his memory with a sentence_. She didn't even put any effort in it, she simply _suggested_ it… No, not even that. That woman just _said_ it and Takeo did the rest of the work himself. He hopped on to the idea without a moment of hesitation.

He was a second away to believing in it, the memory and the sensation being too real to be a lie and if Dr Aris hadn't agreed with his protest… It was terrifying to even think about the consequences.

Maybe that was part of the reason why he immediately stopped when she gave him peace by repeating what he said.

"Alright… Never mind that." The voice was serene.

(Yes… It doesn't matter… because it isn't true. It isn't.)

"Did your mother approve of your father's behaviour?"

"… I don't know… She ran away." A clear distress coated his words and he wished he could be as relaxed as Dr Aris was. Despite hating what it implied, he missed the monotony in his voice now. With it he could at least pretend she wasn't tearing his soul apart with her intruding questions. (Hearing how wounded he was made this ordeal even more unbearable.)

"Oh, my poor baby. Your own mother abandoned you." She knew all too well how to hurt him. "Do you know why?"

"Another man…" Takeo probably would have said more if his chest wasn't feeling so tight. He wished he could turn away, but there was no escaping her unremitting gaze.

At that moment, the weirdest and the most disturbing grin Takeo had ever seen flashed her features. It disappeared as fast as it appeared and suddenly Dr Aris stood straight and spoke loudly.

"What a whore!" Takeo couldn't tell whether she meant it or not. " _I_ would have without a doubt chosen _you_ over some random guy. I mean, what the hell, both of your parents hated your guts. That can't be a coincidence."

(What…?)

"And you don't know the reason?" Dr Aris continued in a loud voice, words coming quickly out of her mouth as if she didn't need to breathe. "I know you can't lie when you're like this, but come on. You _are_ aware that it's all _your_ fault, are you not? Every child feels guilty, because they _are_. Why do you think you felt _bad_ , Takeo? It's because you _were_ bad."

(… What… what are you… saying?) It shouldn't have stung so much since he himself believed so for a long time, but… It was strange. Something was not…

"You're no exception, on the contrary, I'd say you're a perfect example. Let's look at your personality, shall we?" She was rambling like he wasn't there, picking up the pace. "You are disobedient, disrespectful, selfish, moody, and cocky. You refuse to listen, thinking the only right way is _your_ way. I mean, what do _you_ know? Sounds to me you know shit about the world, you don't even have a proper education, you don't even have mediocre social skills, how _dare_ you think you know what's right and what's wrong? I say they were right to hurt you, _both_ of them. You're such a failure, I wouldn't be surprised if you did something horrible to them, just like you did to your so-called friends from Sapporo."

Takeo absorbed everything; his mind was so full he thought he'll explode, yet she was still far from over.

"You _know_ what I mean, Takeo, you know it's true. Those people from Sapporo – they were _nothing_ to you. If you really cared about them you wouldn't have selfishly played with their lives. But, it was easy for you to do that, wasn't it? You knew they were weak meat, they really do resemble trash, don't they? No wonder you were so effective in the maze, running around blasting other people's brains, drooling in excitement over corpses like an animal! No! Like a psychopath! Do you know what psychopathy is, Takeo? It's a personality disorder, Takeo, you are _disturbed_.

"I know this to be true, because you have no conscience. You feel no shame for making your parents unhappy, and they _were_ unhappy with you. Your mother left you because she was sick of an annoying little creature, and your father must have blamed you for chasing her away. It's no secret those two wished you've never existed, but you don't feel guilty, do you? You just blame others for everything."

It was true. At one short moment he thought he was wrong, that he wasn't guilty after all. He felt that in the end things just… happened. And there was no place for blame. It was a weird feeling, yet… not necessarily bad. But that couldn't be right, because all those years he believed… All those years he was in pain. It hurt. It was _really_ bad.

It hurt because it was _true_.

And for some reason, unlike before, accepting it didn't bring him peace. Strange… It was… wrong. What she- What _he_ was saying was all wrong, yet it was so spot on. These thoughts were upsetting him, it was disturbing how familiar they felt. Disturbing…

He was disturbed.

"I can imagine you also blamed your friends for letting the kidnapping happen to you and for not saving you, which is why you have no remorse for endangering them. We gave you an opportunity to save them, to even see them again and you refused, but maybe I'm being too harsh on you for that, since they _obviously_ hated you as well. Unlike _me_. _I've_ been putting up with your crap and I still _haven't_ abandoned you. And what about _them_? _They_ all decided to move on with their lives so soon after your disappearance, so maybe you _do_ have a reason to act callously towards them." She kept throwing bombs at him, not giving him enough time to even think about objecting and at some point he completely forgot that he should.

Why fight it…? Why fight when he agrees? He still remembered how indignant he felt, how angry he was- How angry he _is_ with them for leaving him here. Takeo felt bad about it, but that just meant the voice was right. He was right. _He_ was right to act like that towards them.

Was that why he never wanted to see them again?

(… I… I don't…)

"Just like Yuri said, you're cold-hearted, and you have no _fear_. We all thought that was stupidity, but no, you are just crazy in a most fun way. Oh, and don't forget how violent you are! I don't have to remind you what you did in that maze, you remember it well! Oh, boy how surprised I was, but now, knowing what I do – everything makes sense!"

(… I don't… feel… I… don't feel good…)

The smell in the maze was awful. The gun powder and meat… It was making him nauseous.

(… I don't feel so good…)

"Of course a Yakuza boss would take you in, of course you'd think of a man like that as your father. He was the one who taught you how to shoot and kill, wasn't he? That criminal probably figured you'd be a nice bullet for him one day. Is that why you betrayed him in the end? Oh, but perhaps I shouldn't blame you for everything, I mean, it's hard to know how to love when nobody ever loved you, right?"

It was happening. It was coming and he couldn't do anything about it.

"It can be quite confusing when you don't know what love is. Thinking that Yakuza to be your father, for example. I can't even imagine what he did to you if he was like _your_ father. Hurting you so _bad_ , to the point you actually ran away from him! You see? Just like your mother, you really _don't_ like it when it hurts. _Everything_ I say is _true_!"

(… Like my mom…) Takeo sniffed, his eyes watering.

"I'm not surprised you grew up into a monster. Like fathers, like son."

The last time Takeo cried was when he was nine years old, on that night when his father hit his mother for the first time. He didn't even cry when he saw his mother with another man. He didn't cry when he had a fight with Tama-san. He was close to tears a couple of times, but Takeo simply didn't cry.

"Well…" She sighed. "This was very educational. I loved this little chat we had, such an eye opener, I finally know who you are, and I hope you understand now too. It's good to admit it and be free! I, for one, have nothing against psychopaths. It's just that, with you not caring about people I have a problem now. Hmm, what to do, _what to do_ …?"

He couldn't explain it; he didn't even know why he was quietly sobbing in front of that woman. One thing was for certain, tough – Takeo was falling apart. He didn't even know a person could have so many pieces, and that if even one was out of place your heart would ache so badly you'd wish you didn't have it. Right now, every single one of those pieces was cracking loudly in his ears, withering away like they were never a part of him. They fell off of him and got washed away with the endless tears. Far away into oblivion.

He lost them all forever.

"But, maybe you were not born this way. I must admit that all of your relatives suck, they're completely _useless_. I suppose _I_ wouldn't care about them either," Dr Aris huffed. She was honestly bothered by something. "Which begs the question, why would you try to kill yourself, Takeo?"

"… Uh…" He whined not really sure he was able to grasp what she was saying. Nothing she said before or now was understandable in a 'normal' way, but he _understood_ it; he was hearing it in a different way, seeing it in a strange new light from a completely unknown angle that constantly shifted, therefore processing it in a way he never did. What was said didn't have to be logical and interconnected, and he couldn't say it was, but it made so much _sense_.

"There's no reason for it, yet Yuri firmly believes you were protecting someone."

"… huh… ha, I… I don…"

"I don't see who, unless you're not telling me something." She wasn't really paying attention to his weak incoherent mumbling.

"… don't know…"

"It would be marvellous if there was someone, tough." Dr Aris bent over to be closer to him, looking him straight in the eyes that seemed utterly lost, yet still focused on her. "If there is someone you love enough to give them anything, then there's still _hope_ for you. If you are capable of _love_ , well… Then you are _not_ just a crazed monster. Are you?"

There was something in her voice… something in the voice… Something warm and soft… spilling into the cracks. He didn't know what it was, but he wanted it. Takeo _needed_ it. Like a man suffering from thirst needed water.

"Don't you have anyone else?"

It was a fair guess that the drug have worn off. It's been over half an hour and Takeo had the fastest metabolism among DA5 monstrosities. Even if the drug was still active it shouldn't be as effective now that he was emotionally unstable to such extent that he could barely comprehend the questions.

"…S- Sibling…" Contrary to what one might expect, the drug worked just fine. Better even. It was the weakest answer he'd given so far, but also the fastest.

"Sibling?" Dr Aris almost slipped from her chair.

"Him… her…" A fast answer yet again and this time she didn't have to probe and be specific. "My mom… with that man…"

"Oh, a half sibling. How nice. I'm guessing you two never met?"

"No."

"Well, that's convenient, wouldn't you agree?" She was all fired up for some reason. "Tell me, Takeo, would you had liked to meet that child?"

"Yes…"

"You don't want to kill it, do you?"

"No… Why? I just… want to see… it, the name, I want to… to know… it…" She saw him jerk his head as if he was shocked, appalled even to the idea. She couldn't tell the shock apart from a mere twitch while he was like this.

"How mature of you. People would have thought you would have hated that spawn of hers," Dr Aris interrupted.

"… It did nothing wrong."

Dr Aris contemplated what he said for a moment and then she stood up as if she had finally passed the verdict.

"He… _She_ must be an angel." Dr Aris put her right hand gently on his trembling shoulder. She made a circle around him, as a predator would circle around his defenceless prey, never tearing her knowing eyes from his pale visage. She turned on her heel and moved in closer, leaning on the back of his chair. Her other hand found the other shoulder and now her fingers were firmly attached to his collar bones. "And angels _can't_ hate, you know. Not even the monsters."

Takeo was panting so hard, his weeping slowly dying on his lips. There was a moment of silence in his mind and her steady hands on his cold body helped him focus on it.

The silence… The absence of the sound.

"I think… big brother Takeo loves this child," Dr Aris talked softly to his ear not even trying to conceal a victorious smile. It was so unexpected and oh so ironically funny that Takeo harboured such strong and benign emotions towards someone he had never even met. Sure, she might have helped pushing him in the desired direction, but everything he said about that sibling were _his_ words and he couldn't lie. It made her more excited for what was coming next. "Angels _return_ their love tenfold. Your love is a mutual one."

Takeo took a shaky breath when the growing silence engulfed him in familiar pain. The chair was on fire. _He_ was on fire. Even so, was he really squirming and sweating like crazy because he was being burnt alive or because Dr Aris tightened her hug around his neck? She nuzzled his hair, her eyelashes tickling his temple. He felt her lips leaving crimson traces on his ear.

"Doesn't that make you happy, Takeo?" She breathed into him.

"S-st…st…"

"There is a person in this world who will love you no matter what. The _only_ person who has never and will never hurt you," she whispered, while her sharp fingers hot like iron slithered across his frozen chest. Her one hand lingered where his heart would be and formed a fist, grazing his skin through a thin layer of cloth with her polished fingernails. "It makes your cold heart jump from joy."

"Ss-sto… ph…" It physically hurt him to speak. He could almost taste the blood on his tongue. The blood… Till now Takeo wasn't aware his heart was pumping blood to his body. It was pulsing, spreading heat like the sound did… The sound that was gone. He has completely forgotten he had a heart until she mentioned it, and now he was addicted to its rhythm. It was powerful, stronger than the blasted sound that trapped him.

He felt warm inside, giddy even… That feeling, such a rare feeling… There was no mistaking it. It was happiness.

It was _terrifying_.

"It makes you feel alive." Her tiny teeth brushed his earlobe.

"Ss-top…!" Takeo let out a muffled whimper.

"She won't stop loving you. Ever. You can relax now." Takeo felt the wetness of her tongue when she licked her lips. Her weight shifted.

"S-stop it!"

Dr Aris pressed her lips on his brow and kissed him roughly. For some ridiculous reason that sensation felt familiar, as if she had already done this to him before. It made him sick to his stomach.

That woman pulled him closer and grabbed his jaw so he had no other choice but to look at her flushed face.

"Think about that." Dr Aris said with a satisfied grin. Then she hopped to the side letting him go. With a spring in her step, she walked to the corner of the room, humming some song in obvious celebration. She picked up her medical gun and turned around to look for something in her bag.

With an exasperated sigh, Takeo shook his body, his legs twitching in attempt to run, to awaken his super speed. His fingers dug into the chair on which he was bending his body in painful positions – all in hope to somehow get himself out of the bindings. Or at least move the heavy chair. Or at least…

Something. Just something.

It was all very clear to him now. There won't be a second round of the game.

The game was _over_.

Takeo jerked to the right hitting his head on the armchair. He heaved and opened his mouth almost entirely missing the belt that was squeezing his right wrist. Locking his teeth around the leather, he pulled and gnawed at it in haste. Fresh tears rolled down his cheeks realising it was all in vain. His teeth left no marks on hard leather and he had no strength to pull at all. It looked more like the belt was pulling _him_. Takeo gave up on the belts with a frustrated growl and punched his forehead on the hand.

"RAaargh!"

"Hush now, mommy needs to concentrate," said Dr Aris not even sparing him a look. She was measuring the next dosage of the drug.

Takeo was bashing his head, hitting it repeatedly on the numb hand. He was trying to make himself think. (Think! Think of something!)

 _Think about that._

And he did; it worked like a charm. (Like a command from a hypnotist.)

He was thinking about it. About his sibling. A small child wrapped in white, his mother rocking it to sleep near the Christmas tree with a beautiful ornament in a shape of an angel at the top. The angel… Her chubby face was like an angel's. Takeo couldn't hear her laughter, but it must have been a heavenly one for his stiff and grumpy mother to look at her with a soppy smile on her face. Takeo has never seen his mother make such an expression. So peaceful.

His mother kissed the baby's brow while rocking her gently to sleep. The man hugged them both, protecting them from the blizzard outside. The warmth was so radiant even Takeo could feel it… and he could pretend that he was a part of it. The peace and love.

 _This_ was what he wanted. What he yearned his whole life for. This simple picture on the other side of the window glass. And there was no bad feeling in him, no envy, no rage, no pain… Nothing bad. Just _this_. The calm of being loved, wanted and needed.

Dr Aris was now a part of it too.

She attacked the most intimate part of his soul.

Now… she will poison it. No…

She already did.

From where she kissed him the warmth spread and enveloped his pounding heart. He could feel every inch of his body relaxing against the steal chair. His tired eyes begged to surrender to deep sleep. He wanted to sleep… and dream about a night on Christmas.

"I'll kill you…"

Dr Aris put the newly filled barrel into the gun as if she didn't hear him. She checked the needle and hummed a couple of notes from her favourite commercial jingle.

"I'll kill you for this…"

Dr Aris turned around completely unaffected by his threats. She stopped in front of Takeo who seemed awake but not entirely self-aware. If he didn't sluggishly blink from time to time, one would think he was dead. His head, tilted to the side, was resting on the chair. Apparently, Takeo didn't even have enough strength to move his eyes to her general direction while uttering such heavy threats. (No, those were not threats. It was a _promise_. His words were clear, he sounded sane. The only reason why anyone would not take any of it seriously was because of how exhausted his voice was.)

"Oh no…" Dr Aris waved her head. "You will love me."

She cleared the hair from his neck and took her time caressing his nape coated in cold sweat.

"And you're gonna _looove_ loving me." She pressed the needle on his skin and pulled the trigger. When she was done administrating the narcotic, she tapped him carefully on the cheek to check whether he's still responsive… or at least still alive. It was hard confirming the pupil dilation since his eyes were pitch black to begin with. (She will change that the moment she was finished with the reconditioning.)

To her delight, he _was_ alive and conscious enough, which was in itself fabulous considering 98% of the drugged subjects had died from a stroke before the second part of the experiment.

This part of the procedure was never really tested thoroughly, nor did the initial experiments give any positive feedback. The new drug was simply too dangerous and too inconsistent. There were so many things that could go wrong and the risk was greater than what could potentially be gained.

The drug was a bastard child of a truth serums' cocktail, stimulant and hallucinogenic drugs. It was inspired by many researchers' papers on hypnotism, amnesia and alleged worldwide cases of brainwashing. The initial reason for the drug was to improve the effects of truth serums, which were rarely useful when used on trained agents and enhanced humans. The Union needed a more lucrative narcotic, hence the research started and led by non-other than Dr Crombel himself.

At first the drug seemed to be quite effective, especially since it had potential to be used in undeveloped fields (such as reconditioning and mind control). However, pretty soon everybody realised it couldn't and probably never will be used widely and successfully. Sure, it was easy to get information, but it was far easier to cause mental damage, create false memories or simply erase the whole mind before you actually get what you want and, once you _do_ damage the mind, it was impossible to fix it or do _anything_ with it.

The scientists then tried to somehow lessen the effect and find the middle ground between the conventional truth serums and the new drug. Many years have passed and they still haven't managed to create it.

The new drug was pulled out of circulation a couple of months after Tao first arrived at the Union. It was left only as a last resort and for emergency use only.

Dr Aris was more than glad because of the drug's failure, being it one of Crombel's inventions. Even so, she was somewhat disappointed that she couldn't use it freely. Takeo was such a nice excuse to play around with it, and if he actually survives the process of being brainwashed, she would succeed in something even that pig Crombel couldn't do. Losing Takeo was a risk she was ready to take.

She waited a couple of minutes for the drug to take effect and patiently watched for the signs of imminent death.

The really… _fun_ part was about to begin.

"How are you feeling?" Dr Aris left the medical gun on her chair and resumed the earlier position behind Takeo's seat, hugging him from behind.

"Are you thinking about your sister?"

Sister… He had a sister, she was small, he remembered. She was born in winter… probably, no, she _was_. They were celebrating Christmas… in a beautifully decorated house. His mother was happy.

"It makes you happy, doesn't it? Thinking about your sister makes all the bad things go away." She was whispering in his ear. "Let me help you erase all the bad. I care about you. I want you to feel good."

It was good his mother felt so happy. It was good having a sister who made everybody cheerful. It made him feel…

"Tell me more about your sister, ok?"

To anybody else listening it was far from what a question should sound like. Takeo, on the other hand couldn't make a difference anymore.

"Ok." It was now his turn to repeat after the voice. It was much easier than it seemed.

"She's younger than you, right?"

"She's younger."

"She's cute and funny…"

"… cute and funny. Laughs like an angel…"

"… and you've always been together…"

"… we'd play in the garden all the time, in front of our beautiful house…"

"… where we lived with mother and father…"

It wasn't repeating. It was talking… in a good, soothing voice.

It went on and on.

Again and again.

And at some point Takeo was so happy that he couldn't stop talking about his beloved baby sister Teira.

* * *

 **Author's note part 2 – chapter 13**

Heeeere's Teira!

Now that _that's_ out of my system, let's talk about some serious stuff.

It is very hard to figure out whether someone is lying or not. If you have the intention to lie to someone you will most probably succeed. Torturers _can't_ tell whether someone is giving them the truth or just what they want to hear. Some torturers don't believe the victim even if they do tell the truth, so, naturally the truth gets twisted into a lie. Not to mention that torture has a great impact on memory. It can create false memories and amnesia.

 _ **Truth serum**_ – it's somewhat of a myth. It's more similar to alcohol that makes you relax in a presence of a friend (interrogator) and hinder your imagination (stop you from easily thinking up a lie or even your ability to decide whether you should lie or not). The effect is like a "loose tongue", which doesn't mean it will get the interrogator the information he wants (more likely he will drown in a pile of random information that can be or not connected to one another).

 _ **Hypnosis**_ – in this special mental state, people feel uninhibited and relaxed. You are also highly suggestible, so you approach the suggestions of the hypnotist, or your own ideas, as if they were _reality_ , and _embrace_ them.

Hypnotism should calm and subdue the conscious mind so that it takes a less active role in your thinking process. You're still aware of what's going on, but your conscious mind (the one that filters through everything and is in charge of putting on the brakes) takes a backseat to your subconscious mind (the imaginative and impulsive one). This allows the hypnotist to work directly with the subconscious (which takes care of all the stuff you do automatically and regulates your bodily sensations, such as taste, touch and sight, as well as your emotional feelings).

When the hypnotist can speak to your subconscious directly, he or she can _trigger_ all these feelings. Additionally, the subconscious is the storehouse for all your memories. While under hypnosis, subjects may be able to access past events that they have completely forgotten. Psychiatrists may use hypnotism to bring up these memories so that a related personal problem can finally be resolved. Since the subject's mind is in such a _suggestible_ state, it is also possible to create _false_ memories, because when you're hypnotised it seems like the hypnotist's suggestions are coming _directly_ from your subconscious, rather than from another person. You react _automatically_ to these impulses and suggestions, just as you would to your _own_ thoughts. Of course, your subconscious mind does have a conscience, a survival instinct and its own ideas, so there are a lot of things it won't agree to.

The most widespread example of the hypnotic behavioural modification is habit-control hypnotic treatment where a hypnotist focuses on one particular habit that is embedded in your unconscious (smoking, for example). The hypnotist may be able to _reprogram_ your subconscious to reverse the behaviour. Some do this by connecting a negative response with the bad habit. For example, the hypnotist might suggest to your subconscious that smoking will cause nausea. If this association is programmed effectively, you will feel sick every time you think about smoking a cigarette. Alternatively, the hypnotist may build up your willpower, suggesting to your subconscious that you _don't_ _need_ cigarettes, and you _don't want_ them.

In the world where the Union and creatures with mind control abilities _don't_ exist, the subject _must want_ to be hypnotised, _must_ _believe_ he or she can be hypnotised and _must_ eventually feel comfortable and relaxed. If these criteria are met, the hypnotist can guide the subject into a hypnotic trance using a variety of methods:

 _Fixed-gaze induction_ or _eye fixation_ where the basic idea is to get the subject to focus on an object (in this case a sound and a repetitive movement) so intently that he or she tunes out any other stimuli.

 _Rapid_ _method_ whose idea is to overload the mind with sudden, firm commands. If the commands are forceful, and the hypnotist is convincing enough, the subject will surrender his or her conscious control over the situation especially if they are in the situation that puts them on edge.

 _Progressive relaxation and imagery_ where by speaking to the subject in a slow, soothing voice, the hypnotist gradually brings on complete relaxation and focus, easing the subject into full hypnosis.

 _Loss of balance_ that creates a loss of equilibrium using slow, rhythmic rocking. Parents have been putting babies to sleep with this method for thousands of years.

Before hypnotists bring a subject into a full trance, they generally test his or her willingness and capacity to be hypnotised. The typical testing method is to make several simple suggestions, such as "Relax your arms completely".

There is also a Posthypnotic amnesia (memory loss sustained from a hypnotic state which can include inability to recall events that occurred during hypnosis or information stored in _long-term memory_ ).

 _ **Brainwashing**_ – some say it's true, some say it's not; I say it's plausible, because as you all know manipulation is a thing, it exists, and for me brainwashing is just another form of manipulation. In the late 1950s, psychologist Robert Jay Lifton studied former prisoners of Korean War and Chinese war camps and defined a set of steps involved in the brainwashing cases he studied:

 _Assault on identity_ (A systematic attack on a target's sense of self and his core belief system. The torturer denies everything that makes the target who he is.) _You are not who you think you are._

 _Guilt_ (While the identity crisis is setting in, the torturer is simultaneously creating an overwhelming sense of guilt in the target. He repeatedly and mercilessly attacks the target for any "sin" the target has committed, large or small. The target begins to feel a general sense of shame, that everything he does is wrong.) _You are bad._

 _Self-betrayal_ (Once the target is disoriented and drowning in guilt, the torturer forces him to denounce his family and friends who share the same "bad" belief system. This betrayal of people he feels a sense of loyalty to increases the shame and loss of identity.) _Agree with me that you are bad._

 _Breaking point_ (The target may undergo a nervous breakdown - uncontrollable sobbing, deep depression and general disorientation - and lose his grip on reality feeling completely _lost_ and _alone_. His sense of self is lost, he has no clear understanding of who he is or _what_ is happening to him.) _Who am I, where am I and what am I supposed to do?_

 _Leniency_ (The torturer offers some small kindness or reprieve from the abuse. He may offer the target a drink of water, or take a moment to ask the target what he misses about home. The small kindness seems huge, and the target may experience a sense of relief and gratitude completely out of proportion to the offering.) _I can help you._

 _Compulsion to confess_ (For the first time, the target is faced with the contrast between the pain of identity assault and the sudden relief of leniency. The target may feel a desire to reciprocate the kindness offered to him, and at this point, the torturer may present the possibility of confession as a means to relieving guilt and pain.) _You can help yourself._

 _Channelling of guilt_ (After weeks or months, the target's guilt has lost all meaning. He's not sure what he has done wrong, he just knows he is wrong. This lets the torturer to fill in the blanks by attaching that sense of "wrongness" to whatever he wants. He attaches it to the belief system he is trying to replace. The target comes to believe it is his belief system that is the cause of his shame. The old belief system is associated with psychological (and usually physical) agony and the new belief system is associated with the possibility of escaping that agony.) _This is why you're in pain._

 _Releasing of guilt_ (The embattled target is relieved to learn there is an external cause of his wrongness, that it is not he _himself_ that is inescapably bad. This means he can escape his wrongness by escaping the wrong belief system. All he has to do is denounce the people and institutions associated with that belief system. The target _has the power_ to release himself from pain. With this the target has completed his psychological rejection of his former identity. It is now up to the torturer to offer the target a new one.) _It's not me, it's my beliefs._

 _Progress and harmony_ (The torturer introduces a new belief system as the path to "good". At this stage, he stops the abuse, offering the target physical comfort and mental calm in conjunction with the new belief system. The target is made to feel that it is _he_ who must choose between old and new, giving the target the sense that his fate is in his _own hands_ , and making a "conscious choice" helps to further relieve his guilt. The choice is not a difficult one. The new identity is safe and desirable because it is nothing like the one that led to his breakdown.) _If you want, you can choose good._

 _Final confession and rebirth_ (The target chooses the new identity, clinging to it like a life preserver. He pledges allegiance to the new one that is going to make his life better. At this final stage, there are often rituals or ceremonies to induct the converted target into his new community. This stage has been described by some brainwashing victims as a feeling of " _rebirth_ ".) _I choose good._

Each of these stages take place in an environment of isolation. Mind-clouding techniques like sleep deprivation and malnutrition are typically part of the process. There is often the presence or constant threat of physical harm, which adds to the target's difficulty in thinking critically and independently.

Certain personality traits of the brainwashing targets can (but don't have to) determine the effectiveness of the process. People who commonly experience great _self-doubt_ , have a weak sense of identity, and show a _tendency_ toward guilt are more likely to be successfully brainwashed, while a strong sense of identity and self-confidence can make a target more resistant to brainwashing.

As you may have noticed I combined a lot of things, but my main source of inspiration for this chapter was hypnosis. I used some of the things about brainwashing in the Tao centric chapters.

Once again, I'm sorry for such a long chapter and such a _long_ author's note. This _is_ a fan fiction made for fun, but I think the theme of it is serious and sensitive and needs to be discussed, so if anyone has better information or thinks I got something wrong feel free to share it with me.

Thanks again for reading. See you soon!


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14**

"… must say… impressed…"

"… sound surprised."

"On the contrary, doctor… knew you… the best… it's just… never cease to amaze me…"

"Oh! I love… flattery… such a gentleman… be a dear… tell that pig…"

"He will… informed. I'll visit… he returns…"

"Is… working on the next series?"

"Bigger one…"

"That… fff… pig… shhh…"

"Now, now…"

"Yes, yes!"

Something fuzzy moved out of his view.

"What… you think? Satisfied? Think you can control him now?"

"Mm… need… test it."

"You don't seem… trustworthy of… work."

"…"

"Well of course he looks stoned… What do you think I've been doing for… past three days?"

The muffled conversation washed over him, every word, one after the other thrown into oblivion, completely forgotten.

"Is he in there?"

Caught up in his little world that kept him warm and safe, Takeo didn't want to be anywhere else. It was peaceful and he felt good and right.

"… won't remember anything we said… currently thinking about it."

"It?"

"The thing you needed, Krantz."

* * *

"What's the story?" Krantz asked while slowly moving his hand in front of Takeo's colourless face to check for any reaction.

The kid's eyes were half-lidded, sluggishly moving, but not responding to the outside stimuli. He knew his eyes were black, but Krantz could tell the pupils were unnaturally dilated.

Every time he'd blink, Krantz would notice how red and swollen his eyelids were, suggesting Takeo wasn't shedding tears of agony just in the first hour of his torture. (Unexpectedly or not, the leader of the DA5 stayed in the corridor, on the other side of the door, eavesdropping.)

It wasn't a sign of worry or some last minute change of heart – Krantz wanted to know how Dr Aris will react to a probable failure and whether he will be blamed for it. It was good to be prepared and have an elaborate excuse ready, especially when she flips like she did in the maze. (The woman was awfully grumpy since the incident, which made Krantz have low-key panic attacks whenever she'd call his name.)

The other reason was the fact that Takeo had survived the first twenty minutes of the procedure, awakening his curiosity and hope for the success of the experiment. An hour in, Krantz had a gut feeling he'll be eating that dish after all; his gut was rarely wrong. Knowing his hide was safe, Krantz could leave the bitch to continue with the dirty work.

Despite being aware of what to expect, despite being incredibly excited for the next stage of the DA5 project – Krantz couldn't help but be somewhat disturbed by Takeo's appearance. And that was saying something, considering he'd seen things no man would believe to be true.

"I am his baby sister Teira," said Dr Aris as if it made sense. "And you see, I'm very sick."

"More than you know." Krantz thought glancing over to her who kept combing Takeo's hair as she continued to speak.

Dr Aris had brought many things in the room on the second day of brainwashing. She looked like a little girl going at her friend's house for a sleep over. Krantz could imagine her combing the boy's hair while hissing lies like a snake into his ear.

"We were a happy family once, until our father left us for another woman. Our mother had a nervous breakdown and died. Soon after I caught a horrible, incurable disease." She brushed the long hair in monotone manner. "We were both young when we lost our parents. Big brother dropped out of school so he could care for me and earn money by working at restaurants. Alas, our family was never rich and his poor income couldn't possibly pay for all the medications and bills. Despite our misfortune, big brother never stopped trying for me, he never thought of abandoning me like mother and father did and that's why I love him more than anything in the world. The _only_ one who loves him like that."

At one moment Krantz thought Takeo reacted to her words. He knew the kid was alive; if he were less observant, he'd surely mistake him for a dead man or, at least, a paralysed one. (Takeo _was_ moving, tough. The small inconspicuous movements of the fingers, slow shifting of his body, gesturing with his lips like he was having a mute conversation with someone invisible – it was all there. Drained of his energy Takeo appeared to be dreaming awake.)

"One day big brother got home from work and there was Yuri in my bedroom," Dr Aris said fully enthralled by her fairy-tale.

"The plot thickens." Yuri was smiling.

"You're a villain sent by the Union to take me for some dreadful experiment."

"Villainous role is to my tastes; never was a fan of predictability inbred with the righteous side." Yuri corrected his glasses, amusement clear in his voice.

"Big brother couldn't let that happen, of course. He begged you to reconsider. Teira was small and fragile, she was sick, she couldn't possibly survive the strain of experiments." Dr Aris was patting Takeo's soft, silky head. "If that's so, you said to him, then there's no reason for your sister's existence."

"Oh, dear, I think you've nailed me."

"I know, right?" She leaned over Takeo and pressed their temples together. "My dear brother offered you everything we had so you'd leave me alone and, as every evil guy would, you refused."

"I have a feeling I know how the story ends."

"Shush, Yuri, don't spoil it. I love this part the most." She pulled Takeo in a tight hug. "Our eyes met and at that moment I knew my brother will go in my stead. I tried to stop him, telling him it didn't matter what they'll do to me since I'm already as good as dead, but he wouldn't listen. You were doubtful at first when Takeo offered himself, but after some thought you've agreed. Takeo asked you to allow him to visit his sister while she still had time. And _you_ said that if Takeo proves his worth, Teira will be taken under the Union's care where she will receive the best medical attention in the world. Scientists at the Union could even find the cure for Teira's disease, depending on Takeo's loyalty.

"Needless to say, big brother agreed in a heartbeat." Dr Aris added in a childish giggle.

"And he believes in this?" Krantz asked hiding his disbelief.

"Completely." She was so sure of herself.

"I commend you for your imagination and hard work. However, I fear the story lacks details and suffers from small illogicality," said Krantz with great caution. Still, it was better to point out the faults than suffer from it later.

"I must agree. Choosing a sick meat for experimenting, doctor?"

"It doesn't have to be logical nor correct." Surprisingly, she was not angry. She seemed to be having fun. "It doesn't need to be complex nor reasonable to be emotionally engaging. Taking the details from real memories, knowing what your main actor will do and how he'll feel is more than enough to make a convincing story."

"Real memories?" Krantz asked.

"Big brother here actually has a sibling." She grabbed Takeo's jaw and lifted his head.

"Oh, a twist," Yuri sighed. "Don't know if I'm thrilled or pissed."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Yuri. He has never even met the child, didn't even know the gender of it."

"And you're saying the brat will do anything for someone he's never met?" It was more of an opinion than a question.

"My baby Takeo is a real piece of work, Krantz. I honestly think we had hit a jackpot with this one." Krantz knew Dr Aris can be really creepy without even having an intention of being so. The way she nuzzled the boy reminded him once again how grateful he was for her lack of affection towards him.

"Whatever. Just wake him the hell up," Krantz thought to himself. It was unusual for him to have… goose bumps along his flesh. (He knew well how being shell-shocked looked like, he knew what PTSD and nervous breakdown was, he knew of _and_ used manipulation himself, he had seen what drugs – regular or the Union's – can do, he had witnessed the results of many experiments failed and successful and he had dealt with many unhinged and doped subjects.

Being in a presence of an officially brainwashed human was a first for him; it was a first for the Union too. This was perhaps the closest they'll ever get in copying the rumoured mind control of nobles. Sure, a lot of subjects had their memories removed, some of them were reconditioned and made amenable like Tao, but this… This was something else.

Takeo wasn't even awake enough to show the signs, yet Krantz knew he didn't want to get involved with it more than he had to.

Guess he was just too old-fashioned for the art of brainwashing.

"Aside from the fact that this _sister_ loves her brother, how is she different from those people from Sapporo?" Yuri questioned.

"Why Yuri, she's _dependent_ of him." She answered as if it was more than obvious and enough of a reason. (After these three days she _did_ know Takeo better than anyone, so…)

"So… How much did you erase?" Yuri asked.

"What I've just told you _became_ his life; everything else is gone," she said. "He remembers most of his time at the Union with a few modifications of certain events, of course. He knows of Dr Aris, but he knows _me_ as Teira."

"That sounds like there could be many blanks in his memory. Is he going to notice?"

"Oh, there are, but he won't be aware of them, or rather…" Her lips were resting on Takeo's ear, her words were meant for the boy and him alone, even though he didn't appear to be able to hear anything. "He won't think about them."

"Is Teira already under our care?" Yuri wanted to know.

"Takeo proved to be useful in the maze. As we agreed, Teira has the best doctors at her disposal." She was practically singing from joy. "Which also means, one wrong move and Teira gets under the microscope."

"What if he wants to see the sister?" Krantz said.

"Then we'll arrange the meeting. It will serve as a nice opportunity to check up on him. See if there are any relapses or recovering memories."

"And if there are?"

"I still have some of that drug left, though I'm not sure whether there will be a need for it at all. Worst case scenario, we quit the act altogether and you suck him dry." She smiled at him.

Krantz could definitely live with that: "What do I tell the others?"

"I'll leave that decision to you." She was really in a good mood, he couldn't recall the last time she was beaming like this. "If you do share that knowledge with them, please advise them to pretend like they're oblivious of it; we don't need any triggers. I want to follow the transformation through the end."

"Understood." Krantz nodded. Telling others would open many interesting possibilities, not to mention it would be so _fucking_ fun to tease and harass the brat.

However, Krantz was not rash. He'll have to measure all of the pros and cons before making a choice. He will have to tell them _something,_ though. No matter how dumb Shark appeared to be or how uninterested Hammer was, they were both smart enough to notice the brat didn't have a bloody _sister_ a couple of days ago.

"What is your next move, doctor?" Yuri asked.

"Prepping my baby for iris implant surgery." She was observing Takeo's face, tracing her intruding fingers across his flesh however she pleased. "Do some finishing touches on Tao and then Krantz can have them." She jerked Takeo's head to the side and brushed the thin strands of dark hair out of his sleepy eyes. "What do you say, Yuri, blue or green?"

Giving Takeo lances that enabled him night vision was a stroke of genius; using that as an excuse to play with colours was stupid. Krantz could never understand this insane fixation on looks. Cosmetics were the least important thing when it came to raw power. Since he missed the window of opportunity to casually leave these two psychos with their toy, now he had to listen to them waste the precious time. He sometimes got the feeling he was the only one on a schedule. The world can't wait much longer.

"Blue," said Yuri. Krantz spent enough time with the blond to know he didn't really care either, yet his act was flawless. "It will go nicely with the reddish shine of his hair. You see how the colour changes in the light?"

"Hmm…"

"Also, blue will go well with his personality."

"Ah! Ice blue. I like that." Dr Aris finally let the boy go.

"Thank you."

"Oh, and this!" She pulled gingerly at her silver earrings. "We should match, being siblings and what not."

"I'll arrange a visit to your jeweller."

"Alright, but make it tomorrow afternoon. I'm dead tired."

"As you wish."

* * *

Tao woke up to the playful tunes of a song he didn't know. He recognised the distinct humming of a husky voice immediately, which made him relax once again against the unusually soft pillow. In that daze, it almost got him convinced he was not in his room. While he lazily explored the grey ceiling, the sweet humming continued lulling him back to sleep.

Tao was alive and she was here with him. Satisfied.

This was perhaps the first time in forever that his mind kept silent, letting him rest by her side and enjoy the lullaby. This will be the moment he'll cherish forever.

Tao couldn't really fall asleep, but he could pretend; being woozy and a bit disoriented helped a great deal. He moved his head a little, once again surprised how comfortable the cushion felt against his cold skin. The image of her fiery hair was fuzzy to his eyes. It didn't matter – Tao could feel her weight on the bed, her hips touching his. She was really here.

And she was doing something, her attention elsewhere, her back turned to him. Something felt strange. There was a peculiar sensation. Tingling. She pulled at something and, oddly enough, he felt the responding tug from the region of his own shoulder. It wasn't painful, even though he recalled her saying he might be experiencing some pain after the surprise was done. Tao couldn't even describe it as unpleasant, it was just… confusing.

And somehow familiar. The shape… He knew that shape she held with such care in her hands.

Hands…

She was inspecting an arm while murmuring the lyrics of a song. A pale arm with nicely defined muscles had a hand larger than hers, with five long fingers. It was precisely how a human hand should look like. She untwisted the fingers, the hand resting in her warm palm. He could feel the tingling heat spreading through the limb and reaching his beating chest. He felt the wiggling of the fingers, her own brushing over the black polished nails.

She pressed the hand between hers, taking it into what Tao could only see as an affectionate embrace. The touch… He could feel the touch, the one he knew so well, but it felt so different this time in so many ways.

His fingers moved. (His…?) Of course. That was his arm she was holding and he felt it. And he could touch her too; squeeze that small hand, pull it closer, gently, slowly and he could never let go now and…

Tao saw her turning to him. Her… It was a woman… Not _that_ woman.

Everything was wrong – her face, the way her eyes twinkled when she looked down at him, the way her hair fell over her slender frame and tickled his forehead. It wasn't Dr Aris clasping his hand and even though the stranger's appearance was engulfed in fog he felt nothing but genuine happiness of belonging. Such a foreign feeling, Tao didn't believe he could experience something so powerful anymore but he did.

Tao was safe and snug in those arms.

He then realised his free hand was sheepishly tugging on bedsheets as if it was searching for something… Someone. The rational part of his mind knew there was no one else beside him and the woman in the room, yet Tao was still expecting to find someone sitting on the other side of the bed holding his hand.

It was a bittersweet emotion that shock his soul. There was so much happiness yet Tao was so very much disappointed that the place near him was empty.

An old wound reopened on his heart and Tao sighed, not understanding why he felt this way. Hearing his name being called was a great distraction from the pain.

"Tao." Dr Aris repeated seeing how the boy was not all there. Drowsiness was expected after the operation, not to mention that Tao was most certainly overwhelmed by the spectacular surprise. "Look at me, Tao. How are you feeling?"

Tao took some time to focus on her face, like he wasn't sure where he was supposed to be looking. He tightened the grip, his hands cupped around hers, cradling her with such tenderness as if she was made of glass. A weak moan escaped his lips, a sound that Dr Aris thought resembled a whine of a baby animal.

"What are you doing, Tao?" She almost snorted when he came closer. If Tao were a cat he'd be purring. "Didn't you hear what I'd asked?"

"Nh…" With his eyes closed and a small smile caught in the corner of his mouth, there was no mistaking it.

Tao was cuddling.

Any other time, Dr Aris would see it as a praise-worthy achievement. (Tricking someone to act this way with her was her favourite hobby, after all.) This time tough… Perhaps it was the way the boy shined so innocently that made her feel nauseous.

"Ugh!" She pushed him suddenly scratching his cheek in the process. "I know you're overjoyed with my surprise, but don't you go disgusting on me!"

Tao looked lost for a moment and then something clicked in his mind – his eyes cleared up, his breath hitched as if he has just woken up from a long dream. He blinked touching the scratch.

He was touching himself… with _his_ arm.

 _Tao_ had _arms_.

He could touch and feel his face. On his _own_.

"How does that feel?" Dr Aris asked, her anger deflating.

"… Real…" Tao uttered, distracted by the drops of blood from the already healed injury. The red liquid between his fingers felt different from the flesh or the linen. Warm, slippery… He could tell the difference. On his own.

It was blood. _His_ blood. _Red_ blood. Like the one humans had.

"Tsk, you're not very helpful." She mumbled under her breath. "I guess all the nerves and receptors work fine. They better be, I checked five times already. All the conductors seem operational too. Now, we need to only try them out." She glanced over to Tao who was completely engrossed in the fact that hands are used for touching. "Tao!"

He flinched at her scold, instantly pulling the hands away from his flushed face.

The yellow fish eyes peered through him locking his body in place. It wasn't the worst stare she had given him. It was far less menacing from the one that meant she was about to hurt him, but for some reason Tao couldn't suppress the shudder. His mind decided it was a right time to start working at full speed and all of the voices began screaming in his head: _"She's gonna take them away!"_

"N-no…" Tao whispered when she took a step closer. "Please… I-I'll be good…"

"What are you blabbering about?" Dr Aris was annoyed, her hands resting on her waist. She waved her head like she didn't have time to deal with his whimpering. "You know what? Just shut it, alright?"

Tao nodded, his fingers fidgeting in a surge of anxiety. One of the things that crossed his mind, while nothing but joy occupied his thoughts, was that now when he was finally complete he was just a small step away from being free from Dr Aris. He realised now that the sudden hope was only a side product of the most addicting of all feelings – Tao still very much needed that woman. A part of him was still not ready to break the chains that connected them.

"Focus, Tao, I don't have all day," she said. "Now… As I had promised, I've made you some fabulous arms. Much more resilient than the old ones, supported by the toughest known metal, coated with the first grade bio-skin. No one will be able to tell they're artificial, and you should feel as if they were real." Her mood got better the moment she started explaining the ingenious of her work. She took his limbs and moved them like props.

Tao had to admit they looked fascinating. The skin felt like skin, with the traditional texture and elasticity that probably matched his real one perfectly. He could see the pores and when she brushed her fingers across his forearm, prickly goose bumps broke out across his arm and nape, sending a small, cold shiver through his body. To prove a point she waited for him to notice the way the thin hair rose from the unaccustomed sensation.

"They come with some perks too. Hidden inside are meters of elastic, bullet proof wires that – with a bit of practice – you'll be able to move with your mind. Just like the rest of your body." She turned his arm to observe his wrist. "Wires are quite sharp and flexible. They also serve as conductors allowing the flow of electrical current, which means you'll be able to electrocute your enemies with them."

Tao looked up, meeting her gaze.

"I've installed powerful and lasting batteries in your body for you to use as a source, but you can also collect the electricity from the surrounding areas. That's one of the ways to recharge. You can suck and discharge any current you want, and _not_ just _with the wires_."

Dr Aris showed him his black fingernails. Tao didn't see it before but now, with her own polished nails being so close, he understood that what was glazing the tips of his digits was not make-up.

"You can literary _shock_ someone with the slightest of touch."

The level of her amusement was alarming. "Black is used for power in all circuits. It's not crucial to my design, it could have been any colour, but I do think it's a nice touch."

Dr Aris stared directly in his eyes and no matter how awkward it was he had no courage to avert his gaze. Already being far too close, she reached for his face, pulling a strand of his hair, fixing his hair part and he could do nothing but swallow past the lump in his throat. She was being strange... Strang _er_. In a really eerie kind of way with which Tao didn't yet know how to deal.

Tao had wished for so long for her to be satisfied with him. He got his wish.

Dr Aris being satisfied was… There was no word to describe it.

"It matches." She outdid herself. The hairstyle she picked for him went tremendously with those dark eyes. The bangs were the perfect length making him look mysterious and older, and the white part was just in the right place to give it the modern feel. It was a bold fashion statement, but he was pulling it off so well, Aris almost thought she was too emotionally involved to evaluate it objectively.

"Put this on." Not breaking their eye contact Dr Aris tapped the pile of clothes waiting at the end of the bed. That was the first time Tao even noticed it. She then got up giving him some space.

Tao knew there was no place for embarrassment. That woman saw every nook and cranny of him; she even saw his insides. Humiliation was just one of many things he learnt to live with, yet he was so grateful when she had the decency to turn around. She sat on the chair and entertained herself with the magazine she had brought. (That was the most privacy he'd ever got in this institute.)

Dr Aris started humming and he took that as a cue. He was a bit slow figuring out what's front and what's back, not wanting to make a mistake. Tying up the shoelaces was a challenge, especially since his control over the new limbs was still stiff. After the second try he solved the conundrum and was… actually proud of himself.

He can do this.

"I- I'm dressed."

Dr Aris looked him up and down, then she stood up and that was the first time he saw the difference in their height. They never _stood_ next to each other. He was always laying, sitting, crouching; always being down on his knees or bent over taking every single possible submissive position known to mankind. If someone had told him he was taller than that woman he would have taken it as a sick joke.

How tiny she was, was even more evident when she put her hands on his shoulders. A sudden unrestrainable urge to straighten up his back washed over him. Like so many things today, this was also the first time he ever actively corrected his posture.

It felt… wonderful… _Empowering_.

An old thought lit up and he felt like he won his first battle. Not being rebuked by Dr Aris helped him a lot to actually believe in his victory.

It _was_ a victory, a small one, but a _victory_ still.

He _can_ do this.

"Show some skin, Tao. That's what this T-shirt is for." She uncovered his right shoulder. "Look at these stitches." She stroked a long invisible line across his flesh. "See a scar anywhere, a _hint_ of a cut? No, of course not, that's the _beauty_ of it. It's the work of a _master_ , Tao. Let everybody see how good your Dr Aris is, how pretty she made you." With a pompous grin she caught his face and pinched his cheeks. "Brag a little."

He blinked and she let him go, taking a few steps back in order to see the complete picture. After a couple of seconds she clapped her hands in joy. Tao could swear she was tearing up.

"Perfect!" Dr Aris let out a loud sigh. There was so much wild energy in her ready to explode into fireworks. "Oh, I knew it! I just _knew_ it, absolutely gorgeous. My work here is _done_."

That caught his attention. He opened his mouth just to close it, not knowing how to say what was on his mind.

"Do- Does that mean… I'm a success?" He probed cautiously. "No more… tests- and training?"

"Well… We'll have to run some simple tests just to make sure you're doing ok with all the new parts." She kept fixing his clothes like a true nit-pick she was. "We need to try the off switches I'd put in your head. It's my newest experiment in the nano field, so I'm quite excited to see how it all works out." Her thumb was rubbing his temple. "Didn't even had to open you up, I just injected them with a needle. Pretty neat, don't you think? I know you do – you're a tech guy, like me."

Sure, somewhere deep inside… Somewhere really, _really_ _deep_ _down_ inside of him there was a form of love towards such things.

(Could he call it _love_? The acquired taste was a more appropriate word for it. Perhaps he had moments when he _could_ say he _liked_ technology and science. They were a part of him, he knew almost everything there was to know about them and he had fun using the knowledge in his "what if" games. So, yeah, in a way he was a 'tech guy' and he was easily amazed by things presented to him. Tech related or not.)

In any other situation… He might have agreed with her it all being _neat_. Not this time. No. And it wasn't because she stuck a needle in his skull.

Being told you were like a person you… you hated…

 _"You do. You hate her. She's repulsive. She's insane."_

The only positive feeling he was getting out of this was the fact that with those off switches he'll be able to sleep without the help of pills.

 _"No… Not_ _ **sleep**_ _. Shut down."_ Tao remembered. It stabbed him right in the heart and Tao ignored the pain. Another confirmation of his lost humanity swept under the rug. At this point he couldn't care less about semantics, he just wanted it to be over. Finished. Ready for the _outside_.

"A- And after that?" Tao gave his best not to sound impatient.

"After that…" She smiled to him. "After that you'll meet the others."

Tao held his breath, his mind processing everything she had ever said, his thoughts and memories creating insufferable racket in his head threatening to burst out and shriek.

 _"Others? There are_ _ **others**_ _? Like_ _ **me**_ _? How? Better than me, worse than me,_ _ **same**_ _as me? What does that_ _ **mean**_ _? What_ _ **could**_ _it mean? Who are they? Had she mentioned them before? Did I forget? Where_ _ **were**_ _they all this time? Was she with them when she'd leave me alone? How many times was I alone? Did she spend more time with them than with me?_ _What does that mean? Could it be…?_

 _"_ … _replicable…"_ A thought formed in his mind. His lips were twitching while a trickle of sweat made its way down his neck.

" _No… No, no…_ _ **No**_ _, aren't I special? To her? We can't_ _ **all**_ _be special. We can't all be the 'only one like this' in the entire Union! But, but what if we are? What does that_ _ **mean**_ _?! Are we_ _ **all**_ _getting out?_ _ **Can**_ _we all get out?!_ _ **I have to get out of here!**_ _"_

"O-oh-ha, ha… Others?" He barely stifled the giggle.

"Yes, others," she said. "You know this, you've been fed essential information about the Union in your latest muscle trainings. We go through dozens of potential agents in a month."

She was right, he did know and somehow, he overlooked it. (Did he do that on purpose? He felt so dumb.)

"Ha, ha, ha, I know, I know." He cackled, his mouth hijacking the steering wheel from his brain. "But you said…"

"I don't like boredom, Tao." Dr Aris interrupted him. "It's not nice to pick favourites. You are all my children, but I do prefer you five among the others. At the moment."

"Five?" Tao managed to somehow regain the portion of his calm. (Alright, he wasn't the only one, he wasn't special. Fine. He was good enough to be among the lucky five, among the _favourites_ and that's all that mattered. It was _fine_. _More_ than fine. It could turn out to be freaking amazing!)

Tao believed he'll be sent _out_ _there_ alone. It was exhilarating as much as it was scary. He hoped one day to be a part of the outside world, but it was asinine to think it to be easily accomplished. It could take a very long time and if not being special meant having four more people as company during that time, then by all means – let him be mediocre.

 _"_ … _I'll have companions… Friends… like me… They'll understand… They'll understand me. I won't be alone… never be alone…"_

"Don't worry, Tao, you'll meet them soon."

 _"I won't need_ _ **you**_ _anymore."_

"And after that?" Tao needed to hear it. His logic was flawless, he was trained and modified to be used against the Union's enemies, but he needed to hear her say it.

"A little eager there, aren't we? I like that." Dr Aris laughed, yet her eyes were curious and on guard. "The five of you will be sent out on missions. You'll get to use all the great gifts I've given you. It's gonna be _so fun_."

There. It was official now.

Tao curled his fingers into fists, a low thrum of excitement building in his veins at the thought of being free. All of the previous worries, the perplexity of moral, the unescapable bleak destiny of his mortal soul, the sins he might- _Will_ commit – none of it could diminish the fact that Tao was given a chance to _live_.

 _"I can do this."_

* * *

 **Author's note – chapter 14**

Iris implant surgery was first developed to treat traumatic eye injuries and medical conditions, but the procedure has become increasingly popular for cosmetic reasons. So, changing eye colour is actually a thing. I learn new stuff every day.

Long ago I pondered over whether I should make Takeo a natural blue eyed _*cough*_ god of hotness _*cough*_ or not. Asians can have blue eyes, it's just really rare, so in the end I opted not to (it would have been too much, too much instant hotness, hotness overload _*cough*_ ).

I was lazy to write it in, and honestly it wouldn't have fit in with the flow of the story, but I wanted to hint as many fans already had that Tao's design was inspired by Tao Okamato, a famous Japanese model who made waves in the fashion industry in 2009 when she donned a unique bowl style haircut. I wanted to put Okamoto on the cover of the magazine Dr Aris was reading and in the end didn't.

But, hey, now that I've squeezed that picture into your head...

Hope you've spotted a little throwback to chapter 5 (the scene with Tao's parents is one of my favourite scenes even now). What is your favourite scene from the story? A favourite chapter? Tell me about it in the comments.

See ya soon!


	15. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15**

"… Teira…"

Krantz was not surprised upon hearing that name – it was the first thing the boy uttered when he woke up in the recovery room. After sparing him a side glance from where he was sitting at the small table, Krantz returned his attention to his daily dose of pills. He swallowed them all without drinking the water that the doctor in the room was so nice to bring him.

The blonde woman, with a nose a tad too long for her face, was about Takeo's age which made her one of the youngest doctors in the Union; she was probably someone's child. (Krantz would have known all about it if he cared.)

The blonde was near the patient's bed spending too much time comparing the charts. She'd check on the papers and then look at the boy. Before Takeo woke up and started calling for his 'sister', the woman had been touching him and for a while Krantz thought nothing of it; scientists touch whatever they want, whenever they want. After spending some time cupped up in a room with her, though, he understood that she was trying her best just to make sure that Takeo was not in any sort of pain.

When Takeo started to stir she backed away as if she was giving him some privacy. Most people would confuse it as an act of fear, but not Krantz. He knew what fear looks like and that was not it.

After the kid mumbled the name once more, Krantz noticed the woman was staring at him expectantly and for some reason that made him turn his head towards the brat.

Takeo was lying motionless in bed, hooked up on infusion. He had a blindfold over his eyes, a proof he came fresh out of surgery. Pretty soon, if not already, the eye protection will be redundant. (A fact Krantz knew the woman was aware of, but still opted to keep it on as long as possible.) Krantz guessed the boy will need to get used to the additional light his eyes will now be able to pick up and the woman wanted to make him feel comfortable in the overly lit hospital room. Krantz could live with that. (Everything was going according to plan now and he could give the brat a short brake.)

"Teira… I want to see Teira…"

"I heard you."

The woman silently fixed the blanket over Takeo's feet throwing quick glances over to Krantz. He respected that she didn't meddle, but was mildly annoyed of her presence in general. If Krantz didn't know better he would have thought Takeo didn't even know she was here. He could hear her, of course, just like he could hear Krantz, even though neither of them exchanged a word since they first entered the room.

The woman was obviously here to wake Takeo up and discharge him. She could have done so hours ago, yet she chose to let him wake up naturally.

Perhaps that was a wise decision. Takeo had a lot of the leftovers of the brainwashing drug in his system, not to mention the sedatives. Being cautious was not stupid.

Then again, the young doctor didn't know about the brainwashing, so maybe she _was_ stupid.

(The brainwashing experiment was decided to be kept a secret. Only those involved and the higher ups knew about it. Krantz decided to brief Hammer and Shark, ordering them not to abuse the knowledge afterwards. The look in their eyes told him he had judged correctly. By simply telling them what had transpired he bought their trust and in a way hinted they were equals, which in turn meant Takeo was not. Needless to say, Shark was now forever loyal to the leader of DA5.)

"… I want to see her."

Takeo's voice was tired and hoarse, but not weak. To a stranger, he came off as someone in control and power, yet to Krantz it was crystal clear the boy sounded exactly like that time when he begged the leader to open the door of the maze.

"You will see her later."

"… When?"

"Later."

Krantz pulled the keys out of the pocket and uncuffed Takeo's right hand. Awake, and with his strength returning, ordinary cuffs couldn't do much to tie him down, but were more than enough while he was sleeping. Sometime after he was brought out of surgery, Takeo started having nightmares that quickly turned into violent tossing and turning.

That was why Krantz was summoned to the room in the first place; he was instructed to restrain him and keep the young doctor company. (The handcuffs were her idea.) Krantz wanted to slug him. As if she had read his mind she had tossed him the handcuffs from the drawer. She didn't have to explain it out loud for Krantz to understand; it was obvious she didn't want Takeo to hurt himself while asleep. The older man could only sneer at that.

"Is she alright?"

"As long as you do as I say, she will be." Krantz freed his other arm and tossed the handcuffs on the table.

Krantz was waiting for a comment, but it never came. If the lack of defiance was indeed the result of the brainwashing, he was truly impressed. Takeo was not a stranger to giving silent treatments, but the absence of a stare – or any kind of movement that sent a clear message of Takeo regarding everyone here as pure scum – was completely out of character.

(Maybe he'll get back some of the spark when all the drugs leave his system. Maybe not. Time will tell.)

"The doctor will look you up and get you ready for tomorrow," Krantz instructed walking out through the door. " _Don't_ make a fuss."

Takeo lay with his head turned towards the door for a long time after Krantz had shut them. He listened as his heavy footsteps disappeared into the white noise. For a couple of seconds he tried to find the sweet sound of his sister's voice in the hubbub, but ultimately gave up seeing how he was too exhausted to concentrate long enough. He let himself drown in the now ever present buzz of the world that replaced the meaning of silence Takeo had had before the enhancement.

This fatigue was to be expected, wasn't it? After the maze and after the surgery the only thing he could do was go back to sleep and they seemed to be letting him do just that. It meant they were satisfied with him. It meant Teira was indeed safe.

A soft sigh left his dry lips and his head leaned to the other side finding a more comfortable position. There was a hand slightly pressing on his chest, treading carefully to his face. From the sound of her breathing, Takeo could conclude the doctor was close but not too close.

"I'm going to remove the blindfold to check on the healing." She had an unusual calm to her voice; it was a pleasant change because it seemed she didn't want to disturb nor control him. "The sudden light might sting your eyes so keep them closed until I say otherwise."

She worked on his blindfold slowly, which turned out to be unexpectedly mindful of her. The bits of light that got through while she unwound the bandage were enough to prepare him for the full light. It still shook him but at least he didn't show it by recoiling from it. The moment he was left without his protection, she bent over, making somewhat of a shadow before his face. It didn't help much but it was a thought that counted.

This kind of reasoning caught him of guard – a scientist that cared. Takeo must have been way more tired than he first thought to be able to presume such a thing even for a split second.

"Open your eyes."

It didn't _just_ sting. He could feel his pupils rapidly shrinking and when he'd pick up on some movement or shadows, they'd spread and shrink again. The pupils must have resembled the camera lances when they were trying to focus. He, too, was now trying to focus on the doctor's face. The lines and shapes were all there, but the colours were kinda blurry and shiny.

"Follow my finger."

It was hard at first. It was just too bright and there were no contrasts of colours to help him put things into perspective. Nevertheless, he successfully followed her finger and after some time, the shine of the place started to dim down.

The room now looked similar to what he was used to. And the finger was now just a normal finger, moving in the same steady rhythm left and right, up and down, again and again. Moving before the woman's lips. Left-right, up and down. Again and again. Across the lips. Again… And then it stopped. The lips parted and the finger was still hovering nearby.

"Are you al-" She opened her mouth to say something, her brows curled in an obvious worry, but Takeo noticed nothing of that. Before she could finish her sentence, his hand flew towards her face so fast she didn't even see him move. He slapped her hand away with such force she almost stumbled over her own heals, yelping in surprise and pain. Takeo didn't break her hand (she'll only have to deal with a nasty bruise tomorrow), yet at that moment when he hit her, he could have easily ripped her whole arm off.

She looked at him and saw he was looking at her too: eyes tensely locked on her, the blue eating away the black of the pupils the way ice eats away the life when it spreads. She could almost hear the cracking in her bones while the ice in the blue expanded; feel the cold on her cheeks when he exhaled. Her face now looked as cool as his own. Completely blanched. The only proof of him being alive was his chest erratically moving, troubling to breathe. And he was still shaking just like when she first noticed – the shivering being the sole reason why she stopped the examination.

The silence helped Takeo relax and she decided to skip the questions. When he got visibly better, his eyes also changed, the ice melting almost immediately, revealing the soft baby blue. Awestruck, the doctor opened her mouth because she had never seen such a look in a subject. Those eyes couldn't hurt anybody and she was now more than sure that he never meant to hurt _her_ either. His gaze shifted and she could practically hear him debating whether he should apologise or not. (And not because he was afraid the mad scientist would punish him.)

"You'll be fine." The doctor made the choice for him, wanting to ease his suffering. "The eyes are acting normally."

Giving her all to show she was not mad nor angry, she came closer to the bed to fix the infusion Takeo had torn from his arm when he had pushed her away. He let her do her job while lowering himself back on the cushions.

"They may sting from time to time in the beginning, but…" She continued with a smile. "You'll get used to it."

Those words might have sounded like a nice pep talk, like a demonstration of friendship and understanding even. To Takeo those were the words that chased away all of his suspicion and cemented his belief – she was just like everybody else here.

He was lucky that the doctor didn't punish him for getting out of line, when she could have done so easily. Takeo had no reason to strike her and he had no idea where the sudden urge to defend himself came from. He had a feeling that she won't tell on him to Krantz and that was enough for her to deserve an apology from him. (Even if she _was_ scum like the rest of them.)

In the end… When Takeo thought about it again before he fell asleep, he was so glad he didn't apologise.

He did nothing wrong.

* * *

Tao was standing in the middle of a vast cubical room the members of DA5 used for group training. From what he saw in the recordings he was flashed with in his final muscle training, the practise performed here was completely different from what he was accustomed to. He was nervous, but at the same time he quite liked what he read in the members' files.

They were all older than him, some more than others, but that didn't necessarily mean they were more knowledgeable than him. (Let's be honest, who was?)

That did, however, mean they were more experienced. They could share their smarts. They also came from different parts of the world, which was really exciting. What Tao knew about the world came from the information force feeding, but these guys actually _lived_ outside. _For years_.

Taking on the world and trying to blend in suddenly wasn't that scary. Forget sharing – they could _teach_ him. He'd do just about anything for that.

And that was probably why he was now staring at his foot that was wildly tapping at the floor while his fingers were fidgeting.

What could he possibly give in return? His new friends could help him, teach him how to live, but would they do that if he just asked them politely? Maybe it was this place messing with him, but something told him that people did nothing for free. That was the whole deal with that 'money' thing, wasn't it? From what he saw the whole planet revolved around it instead around the sun.

"Would they even want to be my friends?" Tao thought while he chewed on his black nails – something he started doing almost immediately upon getting his hands. He tried to stop this 'gross juvenile habit' as Dr Aris had called it once. With a lot of will power and a couple of slaps, he managed to control himself when she was around, but when he was alone his mind was too preoccupied to pay attention to his new fingers.

Such behaviour was also one of the many attributes contributing to his strangeness. No matter how much Tao ignored it, he _was_ a freak even among people who had went through similar things as him.

None of the other four had prosthetic limbs. None of the others had weird chips in their heads. And he was sure none of them spent so much time arguing with their own minds.

All four of them were also unbelievably strong, gifted by amazing abilities. Tao had no super eyesight and hearing, nor was he super-fast by enhanced humans' standards. He still didn't have his own chart, but he was certain he couldn't compete with neither of them in strength. So, all he had was his smarts (if you confuse the information harbouring for smartness) and his electric abilities he was yet to explore.

"Maybe that's enough?" Tao thought. "You need verity in a team, right? I mean all of us are different- Well, ok, I'm the most different, but- But, perhaps that's what makes me special, and that's a good thing. But what if it's not? What if in this case it's bad to be special, to be different? No, Tao, wait, you're a success, she said it herself, so this is how you're supposed to be. This is you, you're fine. I'm fine like this. Yeah… Yeah, I can do a lot. With the info and my 'what if' games, I can do those… And I have this electric thing and the wires, right? That's my weapon, just like knifes are to Shark, just like guns are to Hammer and Takeo and…"

That was another thing. All of those men looked like they could do some serious damage. If nothing else, they all had a lot more muscle on them than Tao. They were _soldiers_ and that's what the Union wanted. Even their names sounded menacing to the ear. (Sharks are big and predatory animals, hammers are heavy and dangerous weapons, both were really cool stuff to be named after. It made Tao wish he had a flashy nickname.)

"… Flashy?" His mind offered out of the blue. "You know, 'cause you were flashed and you can flash others with your _smarts_ and electroshocks…"

Tao face palmed himself with both of his hands, muffling the pitiful whine.

"Ok, _ok_ , shut up, the Leader and Takeo have no nicknames." He thought again. "And they don't need them, their names sound manly, and you- Tao is such a meek name."

"That's _it_!" Tao spat in anger moving his hands away from his face. "This is insane! You need to stop!"

Tao made a sudden turn and started marching across the room. For the first time in forever, he was brought by a new face (a new doctor) to a new room where he was supposed to meet the only four people on this planet he could call his friends and family. People who could understand him and truly care for him and what was he doing? Due to his overthinking, in just five minutes he managed to insult the _only_ thing it was still truly his.

He wasn't sure when and how he got his name, but he _knew_ Dr Aris was _not_ the one who named him. Tao _survived_. Somehow, from somewhere, _Tao_ was the only thing that survived this place and that woman. He was so proud of that fact, repeating many a time he will _stay_ Tao no matter what. And he did. He _will_ , because that was the point, wasn't it? He just had to be _himself_ and others will understand because they _were_ him. They were different, but in their essence they were the same. Tao should just be Tao.

"And before you ask for the hundredth time who Tao is, I'll tell you I don't care in the slightest; you know why? Because in less than a minute, four other people will be in this room and from this day on we will be _together_ _forever_ and I will be speaking to _them_ , not to _you_!" Tao whispered to himself while walking in circles. "I'll get rid of you just like I'll get rid of that woman! I'm gonna be sane, I'm gonna be Tao and I'm gonna be free and happy and not alone."

True to his words in less than a minute the bulky doors opened with a hiss and there they were.

Shark and Hammer entered the room chatting casually about something. Actually, Shark was the one talking in low voice while Hammer was grinning to something that appeared to be an inside joke. Tao couldn't help but smile because chatting and sharing inside jokes was the most normal thing he saw in this institute so far, and just being in the same space with those two made Tao feel more sane than ever.

Tao squirmed impatiently wondering whether he should greet them or let them make the first contact. Soon enough those two turned their attention to the new kid and Tao felt small under their gaze.

"H- Hi…" His voice betrayed him. It was embarrassing to show how frail and scared he was, but what was done was done.

"Ah… Right, it was today, wasn't it?" Fairly, Shark was unimpressed by Tao's introduction. "You're that guy Krantz mentioned was finally finished."

"O-oh, yeah, that's- That's me, I guess," Tao smiled sloppily. When nobody said anything after that Tao scratched his neck and opened his mouth. "I'm Tao. I'll be a part of DA5… But you probably already know that. Um, I have to say I'm really happy to meet you in person. I- I read a lot about you… You guys are amazing. Hope I can be useful to you."

Well, they didn't burst out laughing and they didn't send him to hell so that was a good start.

"Read about us? What, did they show ya our records or somethin'?" Shark was now closer to him, tilting his head to the side a little in a failed attempt to see Tao's entire face. The black bangs were more than successful in concealing the most character revealing feature of the human.

"Correct! They showed me the footage of your spars too," Tao said more relaxed. "You guys are awesome. I mean, the precision with which you stab your targets is mind blowing, Shark. I know you're not a surgeon, but honestly, you could have fooled me. And you, Hammer, you always get up no matter what hits you. It's like you don't even care enough to escape danger. Kinda scary if you ask me."

He was rambling. It wasn't so bad, though, he was _earnestly_ praising them. Additionally, it _should_ be easier this way for them to decide to like him. Hammer, of course, didn't change his expression. The shorter man still looked as uninterested as ever, but Shark straightened up, his brows raising in somewhat of a surprise. With all eyes on Tao, acknowledging his presence now more than before, he felt he should say more. He knew he shouldn't since blabbering was the exact opposite of chit chat, but the pressure was killing him.

"You lot also have great potential for working together, with Shark taking the front and Hammer covering for him or even clearing up the path. Um, Takeo would be good at that too, maybe even better; he has a better score, after all. On the other hand, Hammer is faster when it comes to execution even though Takeo has speed. In the end, the bombs make greater damage, so maybe Hammer should clear the area or create distractions and Takeo should provide cover while Shark does his thing. Providing cover takes longer and Hammer gets bored quickly so it's better that way." Tao blurted out glancing over to Hammer who was, just like Shark, patiently and seriously listening to him. When Tao addressed Hammer's inability to stay focused on the task for too long, Hammer gave a weak smile that didn't convey too much. His eyes, though, said more than Tao could understand at that moment.

Unbeknown to the youngest in the room, Hammer was enjoying himself. Tao was unexpectedly an interesting individual.

"What the hell…" Shark said in a strange tone.

"Um, well, you know, Hammer is also fine, but he should do what's more fun for him." Tao added quickly. "You're good at hand to hand combat, Shark, but you tend to leave your left side open, and, well, when you're up against Takeo you kinda stop protecting yourself all together, so maybe it's better if he's not near you. And since he's a sniper he can be far away and still watch out for your blind spots." Tao sucked the air in his lungs as if he was not breathing till now. It gave him a moment to construct his next sentence. "I mean, this is all just guess work. None of us were on a real mission together yet, so we don't really know how we would work as a team. And I'm not a leader so it doesn't matter what I say. I just wanted you to know, if you ever wanna try working together in practise. You haven't really done that so far. Even when you'd go after the leader or Takeo you wouldn't look out for each other weaknesses, so… yeah… Just a thought."

There was a moment of silence before Shark made a face like he ate something that was years out of date.

"Jesus fucking _Christ_ , you don't stop, do you?"

"Ah- ha, ha, ha…" Tao could only scratch his sweaty nape while being judged.

"You got all that bullshit from a footage?"

"Well…"

"It _is_ bullshit!" Shark shouted. "Left side my ass! And did you just imply I lose my cool in front of that motherfucking Chink?!"

"Correct," Tao blinked. "It's mutual, though."

"You little…" Shark made a step forward, violence clearly written on his snarling face. He would have jumped on Tao if Hammer hadn't put his hand in front of the tall man. Shark did stop at this intrusion, yet his anger was not pacified.

"Kid's right," Hammer said completely unfazed by the situation. "Your left is open."

"What?" Shark gawked at him.

"I've noticed it too," Hammer continued taking his hand away, knowing Shark won't go and attack after _he_ confirms a fact that was obviously not meant as an insult. "And you're loud, especially with Takeo. He has super _hearing_ , Shark."

Shark tsked and turned his head back to Tao who stood there frozen.

"You little fucker, shoving our weaknesses into our faces. What was that stupid laugh before, ha? You better _not_ be laughing _at_ us." Shark tucked his head down his hair falling across his pale long face.

At that split second when his supposed comrade targeted him with all the bloodlust he could muster, Tao drew a blank. He could only stare, staying still like a statue, not making a sound. He couldn't tell whether he was scared or just shocked. Perhaps it was a combination of both, yet it was still very different from the fear he was exposed to till now.

Unlike with Dr Aris, the danger was of another kind and in the face of it, he was not left defenceless. However, the instant when Shark reached out for him, Tao completely forgot he now had a certain set of skills. As if the whole concept of being able to protect himself from harm and even fight back was foreign to him.

It took Shark's sharp voice to snap him out of his stupor.

"… No." Tao waved his head. "Having a small weakness doesn't make you less awesome… Besides, it's not really a weakness, I mean, we're all successes- Among the favourites. We're all good enough to go outside. In that case, not being perfect or special doesn't matter. There's five of us- There's a reason for there being five of us; there has to be. We're a team of five, that's how she made us, that's how we're supposed to be, so we're fine being like this. I bet that when we're together, there will be no room left for weakness."

Tao swallowed hard. It was starting to feel awkward sharing the space with the two. Why couldn't they be more talkative? Perhaps the silence was so overwhelming because of their judging stares, because of their eyes that were constantly assessing him. Tao could see it – the way their opinion of him changed. He didn't know what it was, he was only certain it was shifting with every word he utters. Was that a bad or a good thing?

He _needed_ to know and there was no way to find out.

Then Shark bowed his head a little, the curly strands of long hair constricting his small eyes. His lips formed a stern line as if wanting to say something but opting not to which was out of character.

"… No?" Tao cursed his inability to silently endure whatever was happening right now. "Ok, but, honestly, those are not weaknesses. Compered to me, you're…"

"Stop," Shark said suddenly in a strict, yet almost calm voice. It wasn't like that because Shark wanted to make Tao feel comfortable. His voice was calm because it was clear who was in charge of whatever happens next. It made Tao indeed _stop_ talking.

"Krantz talked about you once or twice in a not so friendly tone. Never payed much attention to it. I'm uninformed. You're the _pet project_ , right? What does that actually mean?" Hammer asked.

"… Uh… Um, I'm not sure." His fidgeting fingers came to view and he put a conscience effort into getting them apart. Not having any better idea he put his hands on his hips. Tao wondered whether he should tell them how Dr Aris would say he was the 'only one like this in the entire Union', but in the end decided not to. He himself didn't understand what that means anymore… Or what it meant. (Did he ever understand it?)

"How long was she making you?" Hammer asked flatly.

"… I think it's about two… Three years? I don't remember it well." For some reason he couldn't look them in the eyes, even though somewhere in his mind he knew they couldn't see his expression because of the hair. Did Dr Aris do him a favour by choosing such a hairstyle for him? He wanted to slap himself for even thinking it.

Shark hummed while Hammer peered through him like a knife. Unconsciously, Tao's hand ended up on the nape of his neck where it once again began scratching at the cold skin. The questions were uncomfortable and Tao was desperately hoping he was not acting weird. Answering was only fair; since he read all about them, they too had the right for the similar information.

"So, apart from being a smart-ass, what can ya do?"

This was an easier one.

"I've been through enhancement just like you. According to your records I don't think I have as much raw strength." Tao's hand wandered off to his scalp. His fingers crowded over an old scar, immediately finding it. "They've been feeding me all sorts of information, teaching me many languages and… I can call them computer skills. I'm… I'm good at technological stuff… Also, I kinda get science and all that…" Tao brushed his hair once more and then finally managed to get his arms back on his hips. "Our Leader will probably give you my record when he arrives. Where is he anyway?"

"He'll be here shortly," said Hammer. "I do recall Krantz saying something about hacking and what not."

"So, you're a nerd," Shark huffed with a smirk. "Sure look like one. The fuck are you even wearing?"

Tao blinked in a momentary confusion. He couldn't really determine whether what Dr Aris had given him was acceptable or not, but it was his first clothes that weren't designed for doctors' comfort. He could still remember the joy of seeing his reflection in the mirror for the first time.

At his final muscle training, Dr Aris brought a mirror and allowed him to play with it for ten minutes. Obviously, she just wanted him to praise her and thank her – which he did – but for Tao finding out how his face really looked like was of existential importance.

A lot of nice things have been happening to him lately. He got his arms, he got new clothes, he got to see his face and he got to meet new people. Being aware of everything he had to go through just to get here didn't diminish the happiness he felt.

He was happy looking like this.

"Dr Aris picked it out for me."

"You ever say _no_ to that woman?" Shark was leering at him.

"I like it," Tao decided. There was finality in his words; the pure resolve was gushing out of his every pore and those two noticed. It fired up something inside them, their reactions changing again. Tao realised that even though he still wanted to be accepted, he didn't ponder over whether their expressions were good or not.

"Bah!" Shark barked not out of annoyance. With his lips curling in a smile he looked more entertained than anything else. "You got something more than brains, kid? That bitch might have been drooling over your babbling, but if ya wanna impress Krantz you're gonna hafta do a lot of less talking and a lot of more destroying. And I mean with your fists, Sherlock, not with silly mind tricks. So, you got anything to show us or are we _done_ here?"

"Done?" All of a sudden Tao's body stiffened, his senses were overloaded by the emptiness of the room.

"Tao." A smile spread across Shark's face. It was caught in a tense twitch, somewhere between pain and exultation. Lips revealed sharp teeth that glowed ominously on the neon light. "Ya know what happens to nerds?"

In a blink of an eye Shark was inches away from Tao's stunned face, and before he could even think to move, Shark seized him by the neck. The older man forcibly bumped him into the wall and hissed: "They get bullied."

Slightly panicking, Tao grabbed the hand that was strangling him, but failed to detach it from himself. Shark laughed loudly at that miserable attempt of fighting back. He snatched the boy's fingers and pulled hard. He shoved Tao's head into the wall again and then forced it down, locking it beneath his elbow. Tao pushed with his free hand, but he couldn't escape Shark's tight hold. Having trouble breathing only added to the helplessness Tao felt.

And then Tao realised – he was sad and hurt, because, obviously, his new friends hated him and he couldn't really understand why. It scared him not knowing and it frightened him not being sure how to change that. And then the fear became real when Shark bent his trapped hand in an unnatural way. He heard his arm make a strange noise when Shark pushed against its socket.

"N-no! Wait! My arm's not…!" Tao yelled in pure terror.

"You should really learn to shut up!" Shark growled and then suddenly yelped when strong electric current shook his body. The blast was so powerful that it blew him away.

"Ow, mother _fucker_!" Shark cursed while the strands of his hair still floated in the electrical residue. That was one hell of a strong attack the kid had produced. He looked over to Tao, whose hand was still sparking. The boy was panting and Shark wondered how his eyes looked beneath those bangs.

"Now, that's what I'm talking about," Sharks said in amusement.

Tao slowly wrapped his arms around his chest and sat down with his knees up – a childish and unconscious way of protection. There was still some vicious glow coming from his black fingernails, and beside the sizzling, Shark could _hear_ the way the boy stared at him. There was fear in him, no doubt about it, but there was no fragility.

"We can work with this," Shark said and, as if he agreed, Hammer walked over to Tao who surprisingly didn't flinch in sight of such a big guy towering over him.

"This is different from Dr Aris," Hammer explained. "You now have four more enemies."

Tao's body seemed to relax to those words. One would think by the looks of him that he'll lay down in foetus position and sob. This behaviour, though, was smart. The kid was missing more than a couple of screws, but maybe he had a good head no his shoulders, after all. It was certainly a plus in Shark's book.

"DA5 _is_ a team, but Tao, Shark, Krantz, Takeo and Hammer are _not_ , so you better choose what you say to their faces because it _will_ be used against you," Hammer continued. "Also, DA5 has _no_ weakness. If there is an _oversight_ you _can_ say it and you _should_ say it. You're good at it, so just like me, you should do what you're good at. Think about how you'll address the issue, though. Krantz is not as lenient as Shark and I. Your future depends on his satisfaction and he'll be content if he can use you. That being said, Tao also _does not have a_ _weakness_. It would tarnish the DA5's name and we don't want that.

"We want someone who can be trusted to do their job."

Tao was still for a moment and then he nodded.

This was not hate, Tao realised. This was them teaching him the rules. They were sharing their wisdom and experience just as he wanted. And he didn't really do anything to deserve such kindness.

Tao will have to think carefully about the rules. At first glance they looked simple enough to follow, yet there were things that he probably won't like. That didn't matter much in the end. It might be making his heart ache, but when _did it_ _ever matter_? Rules were rules, and if he plays by the book, he _will_ be happy one day. He just needs to be patient as he always was.

And sacrificial.

He's going to have to sacrifice _Tao_ for this, isn't he?

"Let's not waste more time," Shark stood up and cracked his knuckles. "Come at me!"

But, maybe – just maybe – these two were blowing it out of proportion? Sure, from what he'd seen, the Leader didn't look as a most forgiving person. Still, if Tao performed well at his job, perhaps he won't mind Tao being Tao. Or at least he'd let it slide if he acted out from time to time. Tao himself knew he'd have to work on his awkwardness and his rowdiness in order to sound more like regular humans from CCTVs. If he toned it down a little then maybe the other members of DA5 would even _like_ Tao. They weren't friends now, but people rarely became friends right off the bat. They will be forever together and forever is a long time.

They could learn to like each other. They could potentially become a family.

Maybe… He won't have to sacrifice _Tao_. Not all of him and not for good.

* * *

Tao held on to this last glimmer of hope because… He really couldn't imagine himself ever being happy if he forsook himself. Was seeing the world and being among people worth casting aside his personality?

If the answer was 'yes' then does that mean that the most sacred thing to him was unnecessary for experiencing life? Can a faceless man feel everything he longed to feel? Was _freedom_ guaranteed this way? If pets are obedient and remarkable they could be let out to play, right?

Was he living a lie believing a human's identity mattered? Or maybe that was just him…?

For a moment he forgot he _wasn't_ technically a human. He didn't really have a human identity… Or any other, because… Honestly? Who _was_ Tao anyway?

And what if the answer was 'no'? What if having a life was not worth _killing_ yourself?

"That doesn't even make sense…" Tao thought while he dodged Shark's attack for the umpteenth time this morning. They were at it for five hours straight and Tao's mind and body started to tire of it all. It was a different kind of fatigue from what he underwent in his other trainings.

But if life was not worth it then why did he had to endure it all? Why was he still ready to endure?

In the end, maybe being what he called Tao was not so important.

At the moment… The best option was to observe and learn. He was smart so he could easily play the part they wanted him to. Being their version of Tao was the price for acceptance and help. It was only fair, right? And when he's finally let out from the cage into the wild he could still be truly free. He could have everything he wanted.

Tao's not gonna die from being a little trapped.

"This is good, I'll be good. I can do it." Tao kept repeating it in his head even when their mighty leader honoured them with his presence.

 _"I can follow the rules. It's simple, you see?"_

Even though he took a lot of damage from Shark and Hammer, Tao was ready for the leader to measure his strength. With every hit, Tao found it more difficult to stand up and not yield to one of his voices begging him to plead mercy. With every laugh from the audience it was getting harder to like his new comrades; harder to want to be liked by them. Despite the occasional insults, Tao never once failed to stand up when the leader ordered him to.

 _"You're different from Dr Aris, yes? Well, if I managed to satisfy her, I'll most certainly blew away your expectations. They seem pretty low anyway."_

Being looked down upon sparked something in Tao. The other DA5 were strong, that was true, but none of them had to go through what he had. Tao was powerful too. In his own way, he _was_ the only one like this and his fellow members started to notice.

The prejudice of the leader was obvious, yet as the long evening went on, in his stern gaze the acceptance was forming. The one sided battle took whole night to finish and at the end there was silence.

 _"You'll keep me… You're going to take me away from here…"_

"In six hours, the five of us will have our first joined practise." Krantz said in a low voice, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're going to analyse the tapes of our former spars and come up with a strategy. I hear you have a big brain."

"I've already analysed it, sir," Tao panted while he stood on trembling legs. "If you give me a computer, I can have it typed out for you in fifteen minutes."

Shark and Hammer looked at each other, probably surprised hearing someone addressing Krantz with such reverence. Then again, after all they've seen today from that boy… It was downright creepy to display such docile behaviour, yet oddly refreshing. Eagerness to please and lack of malice shouldn't work in DA5, but here was this kid, his position fitting him like a glove. They only knew him for a day and they were already convinced that he was not a nuisance. He was, in fact, someone you should want to have by your side.

That didn't mean Shark and Hammer will ever stop making fun of him for being a geek. However, it did mean they could count on him to watch their backs even if he was weaker than the rest and – if anything was important in the DA5 – it was trust.

They could hate each other, but, as Hammer said, on the field they were a team.

Tao could live with that. It was disappointing they couldn't and won't be friends. None of the DA5 were humans, just like Tao wasn't, so maybe they didn't know how to create a bond such as friendship even if they wanted to. Maybe being a team that respects and trusts one another in a certain way was the closest thing to a family Tao will ever have.

To be a family was a childish dream and nothing more; it was clear to him now. And being completely himself and getting freedom was never a realistic option. You can't have both.

 _"You'll give me a new life… You'll give me a life."_

"If you can get it ready in ten, I'll give you your computer."

"Ten minutes it is, sir," Tao nodded and Krantz tilted his head in acknowledgement.

That's how Tao became a member of the elite group of five.

* * *

 **Author's note – chapter 15**

Shark and Hammer never really had anything against Tao in the comic. They were calling him names for being a computer freak and never really saw the benefits of being one, but they never hated him. Shark said so himself. I believe that every single one of DA5 understood (albeit rarely showing it) that Tao was a valuable member and therefore could tolerate him, especially since Tao was behaving.

I'm also convinced Shark knew about the fake sister. In chapter 111, when Takeo had drinks with the kids, Shark showed up and opened his foul mouth. Takeo was like _Never… speak about my little sister, ever again_ and Shark was like _Right~ I'm not allowed to talk about your sister_. You could say that Shark was an ass and kept on goading him, but whenever I see that freaky smile on his face I can't escape the feeling that there was more to it. It screams to me HE KNOWS, he knows SOMETHING. And I wouldn't be surprised if the fake sister was somewhat of an inside joke for those jerks.

So, about the name Teira… I found people referring to the fake sister as Teira _and_ as Taira. Taira _is_ a Japanese name while Teira isn't as far as I know. I chose to go with Teira, because… reasons.

Thank you for reading, guys! Tell me how you're liking Krantz, Shark and Hammer so far! See ya!


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16**

 **Author's note part 1 – chapter 16**

Oh my God, guys, here it is – the meeting. Yes, Tao and Takeo finally meet! And…!

… Please, don't kill me.

Warning: mild gore.

Also, there will be a short break after this chapter. But don't worry! Next month I'll post a special 'one-shot' I've been working on for a long time – something nice and fluffy for a change. So do keep an eye on my profile!

* * *

Takeo had a rough night. After months of 'sleeping' on a cold floor in a sitting position one would think the bed was all he needed to sleep like a baby.

He was dead tired, not even having the energy to wonder why the blonde doctor hadn't left the room when she finished the examination. The woman just sat there fiddling with expensive equipment apparently not paying him any attention. It didn't take long for him to doze off hearing nothing but distant humming and buzzing of the machines surrounding him.

Through the buzzing… slipped a different sound. It rang inside his head and, all of a sudden, he felt stiff and trapped by his own weight. Takeo couldn't move, and at first it didn't bother him too much, his mind somehow being aware that he was dreaming. (He was asleep and when you sleep you don't really move a lot.)

But then he woke up, in cold sweat and barely able to breathe. He looked around the room, searching for something, yet finding nothing but the machines and the doctor.

The blonde was observing him, but she stayed in her corner not taking any action. If he was having nightmares, evidently, he wasn't reacting to them violently this time.

(Were those nightmares, though?) Takeo couldn't remember why he'd wake up every half an hour with his skin tingling like someone had left invisible handprints all over it. (Was someone touching him while he couldn't move?) The young doctor was the only other person in the room and Takeo could swear she never left her post. (Why was she still here? She had finished her objective, so… Why? Why did she set for the chair when she could be sleeping somewhere else? And why wasn't she sleeping? What did she want?)

* * *

Takeo soon realised he dozed off again. It was strange how he couldn't recall falling asleep after being shook into wakefulness.

In a dream there was that weird sound again. It was becoming louder as if announcing that something was approaching. _Someone_ was coming.

A familiar presence was reaching out for Takeo and he couldn't pull away; he was completely defenceless. When he opened his eyes there was a blurry face right in front of him and a sound caught in his ear. He was not ready to shield himself. The large mouth that spoke in a deadpan tone was upon him, the weight pinning him down. With no weapons in hand he was left wide open for anyone to have a peace of him.

So they nibbled.

Starting with his ear.

Takeo opened his eyes and stared at the white ceiling for almost ten minutes dreading to look down at his body covered in wet trails of fingertips. It might have been blood. There was a coppery after taste in his mouth. Red. Everything was in red. His brain too was scratched, until it oozed crimson. Scratched with long polished nails.

His head hurt so much he wanted to scream.

But there was someone hugging him, telling him it will be ok. She was patting him on the hair… with long polished nails and…

* * *

Tap!

Takeo's eyes flew open once more and he saw himself with a crack in his skull. A big, gaping hole that was his head. There was something big missing and-

Tap! A nail was hammered in the fracture stopping all the fluids from dripping down his body. And then another one… and another.

Tap! Tap! TAP!

(No more…)

There was no more space; his head was so full it throbbed and pulsated like an open, festered wound, another nail ready to be squeezed in.

And she was still consoling him, telling him it will be alright. (If there was no more room in this crack she could always make another.)

When Takeo opened his eyes he saw her in front of him. (How she got there without him noticing was mind boggling.) He couldn't jerk in attempt to defend himself before she was too close. (Why would he even try to fight her off when she was the only one comforting him at a time like this?)

With a hammer in her hand she called his name and he believed with all his heart when she said he'll be fine.

But he was begging her to stop. (No more…)

"… Nmm… mm-drugz-ssh…"

She gently caught his hand, ending his feeble attempt to push her away and protect himself. There were now both of her hands on him, caressing his skin in calming circles. She shushed him and his mind went mute.

There was really no hope for survival.

"… Alright… It's alright. No more drugs," she whispered.

Takeo could only watch her in a daze. Her small, round face, beautiful golden locks. Eyes that loved him and looked at him for support.

She was an angel.

He was so lucky.

"Teira…"

* * *

Doctor Miriam decided skipping sleep was not a big deal. She was a night bird anyway, and her instincts were telling her that the subject was recovering from more than just an iris implant surgery.

She was still new at the institute so she couldn't tell whether his behaviour was ordinary or not. She _could_ tell he had severe nightmares that didn't end when he woke up. Hallucinations can be caused by drugs… A drug that wasn't found when she had done his tox screen. (It wasn't unheard of at the Union; one of their goals being to create undetectable narcotics. Nevertheless, it was still interesting enough to take notes.)

It was four o'clock in the morning and Doctor Miriam was sitting on the subject's bed, rubbing circles on his hand with her thumb. He was drowsy and being completely still, and she wondered whether she should risk it and inject him with some sleeping aid after all. She had a needle prepared when he pleaded for her to stop.

"Teira…"

She cocked her head once again, not expecting a subject to talk in such a voice. (How was this young man so different from what she had imagined? From what she had seen so far?)

"Teira…" (That was one of the purest smiles she had ever received.)

The subject mentioned that name before. (Was he dreaming about that person? It was highly unlikely to have night terrors of someone you hold so dear.)

He kept repeating this name over and over again as if it was some kind of a mantra for him, as if he was _possessed_. It was often barely audible, sometimes filled with affection, other times, flat and emotionless. Those moments were truly chilling, because he didn't seem like he understood what he was saying.

"Teira…"

"Yes?" She asked in hope to break the cycle and make him shut up.

It was becoming uncomfortable and she was debating whether she should let go of him and leave him alone to deal with whatever the hell was happening. He was most certainly experiencing aftereffects of some drug whose usage was kept secret from her. Probably for a reason.

She _was_ a newbie, daughter of a recognised researcher at the Union or not. The only reason she was even allowed to be near Dr Aris's work was because of her father's influence. It was truly an honour rookies like her could only fantasise about.

What was festering in her chest was not fascination nor excitement. And when the young man (younger than her, for sure) has gone silent all on his own, pure dread formed at the pit of her stomach. A pair of blue eyes gazed at her and there was absolutely nothing in them.

"Yes?" She tried to stir him, hoping this vacant expression was just him coming to his senses.

"… Who are you?"

"… I'm your doctor," she swallowed past the lump in her throat.

"Who are you?" His breathing hitched, his face no longer resembling a robot's.

"I'm Doctor Miriam. I'm in charge of looking after you after your iris imp-"

"Who're you?" He huffed impatiently with a touch of fear and panic in his voice. He waved his head as if he was trying to stay awake and repeated: " _Whoareyou_?"

"Shush. It's alright. You'll be fine, you're just confused. You've been having nightmares." The doctor pulled lithely on his hands to keep them in place. He started squirming, twisting his arms away from her.

"Teira- Who… you, who are you, who- She… she's not… I gotta- I have to… I _have_ to…!" He was now truly trying to run away from her, but unlike this morning, he had no strength in his limbs and she found it easy to overpower him.

"Takeo," she called him holding his hands tight. "Takeo, look at me."

It was unwise to call a subject by its name, especially for young doctors. Then again, nursing a subject in this way was also unwise. It felt like all she did in the last 24 hours was nothing but stupid; unacceptable for a prodigy like her. Making sure your patient was in less pain than necessary was something her father installed in her. She would always see to it for them to have the best care even though it wasn't a custom at the Union. (Spending a night by the sick bed, though? It was dumb even by her standards.)

"That's right," she said when he obeyed. "You're in your room. I'm your doctor."

"… I have to-"

"You have to calm down."

Her patience payed off; Takeo soon relaxed against the pillow and the staring contest continued. Now, however, Takeo seemed to comprehend the situation. She could see it in his eyes how the cogs were turning in his brain.

"Who's Teira?"

That was the last question she should have asked, but there it was – out in the open. He reacted to the name and made it hard for her to ignore him. The moment she uttered it, his eyes glazed over, and now more than ever she was convinced _Teira_ was a trigger for activating some spell he was under.

"… Who is Teira...? Who… My sister…"

Doctor Miriam didn't see this coming. (Was Dr Aris performing some test trials on siblings? Some experiments on genetics? She heard nothing of the sort, but it could be confidential. In that case, she shouldn't dig deeper.)

"Is she here? At the Union?" Maybe this _charm_ or whatever was contagious.

"… My sister is sick. They promised…" Takeo glanced at the floor.

"They promised?" She was puzzled.

"I have to…" Takeo looked at her with more resolve. "I can't be… wide open… on the bed- can't. I have to get out of here."

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave," she was strict with him, but he was not scared of her.

"No. There." She didn't expect for his strength to come back so quickly. When he released himself from her grip she was seconds away from calling security. "On the floor. I'll sleep on the floor."

Doctor Miriam was stunned by this unusual request. What she saw next was him sitting on the floor in the corner, his back leaning on the bare wall.

"You can't sleep on the floor."

She was bewildered, yet she couldn't really give an explanation why it was so wrong to choose hard floor over a warm bed. When he gave her a not so pleasant look she opted to let him have his way. (What was it to her, anyway?)

"Don't come near me."

To say that this threat surprised her was an understatement. Her brow twitched and she almost raised her voice at him, because _who was he_ to treat her so after everything she's done for him. Her lips formed a firm line when their eyes met and she remembered why this man caught her off guard so many times before.

"He doesn't want to accidentally hurt me like he did this morning," she thought.

As if he could feel she got the message, Takeo rested his head on his knee and didn't address her further.

"I'll stay in my corner, you stay in yours," she added just to make the rules clear. She wasn't planning on sleeping and leaving him- _Herself_ unattended, but Takeo was sane and smart enough to be trusted with a little bit of freedom. The responsible doctor in her rebuked her for making such decisions on her own. She should at least cuff him if she planned to allow him to do what he wanted. Miriam, however…

Miriam even dared to take a nap.

* * *

When the morning came, it was as if the last night never happened. Takeo was still a bit groggy, but he was present in mind and didn't seem to recall any of the outbursts. Doctor Miriam couldn't believe that he actually managed to sleep for three hours on the floor without any disturbances.

Even though she could see unwillingness in his eyes, Takeo took all of his pills without protest and waited in silence for Krantz to pick him up. Instead of Krantz, though, one of Dr Aris's scientists came for him and escorted him to the training grounds.

The man in the lab coat was anxious to be near Takeo alone which baffled Miriam. (In her humble opinion, Takeo was the last subject to make a fuss.)

And she was right: Takeo followed the man wordlessly not even taking his time to have a look through many of the corridors as other subject did.

Takeo was unusually cooperative.

Miriam took notes.

* * *

Takeo noticed there were unfamiliar footsteps in the cubical room even before he entered it. The owner was light on his feet and was breathing in… (Childish excitement?) He could hear the tapping of long fingers on computer keys. Whatever this person was doing, he enjoyed it and tried real hard to stop the laughter from forming in his throat.

(What on Earth is happening in there?)

Takeo entered the room and there was this skinny young man with a bowl cut padding around the room with a laptop in his hand. He was busy explaining something to Shark and Hammer who seemed to be genuinely interested in what he had to say (even if they tried to appear not to be).

"I hate gas masks," Shark muttered while black polished nails pushed the buttons in high speed.

"No need for masks if we use 667 ppm," Hammer uttered glancing over to the bowl cut.

"Correct. Our charts say we won't be affected even with a larger dose. But Hammer, no more than 1000 ppm or we're gonna have to deal with severe headaches."

Takeo could swear the fat man pouted.

"Still hate it," Shark grumbled taking out his knife. "Why can't we just…"

"It's supposed to look like an accident."

"Boooring!" Shark caught a fistful of the younger man's black shirt that revealed one of his shoulders.

There was a strange smile on the unfamiliar man's face when Shark showed his violent side. Takeo barely noticed it, so he was sure the other two missed it completely. The thin man… No, he looked more like a boy who barely finished his sudden and fast growth spurt, and was still suffering from too little weight on his bones and poor limb coordination.

"Well, it's just our first mission. Take it as a warm up."

Aside from the unsettling smile that quickly vanished from his visage, the boy appeared to be unperturbed by the tip of the Shark's knife threatening to pierce his stomach.

"You have a fucking retort for everything," Shark let go of him.

"Ha ha ha."

(Was it just Takeo and his super hearing messing with him, or was that not a normal laughter? He couldn't be sure since he couldn't see whether the laugh met the owner's eyes or not.) Something was not right with this boy, but Takeo didn't ponder over it for too long. There was something else that caught his attention.

 _"How long was I absent?"_

Takeo spent months with those two jerks and still didn't know how to deal with them, yet this kid seemed to have figured it out in a matter of seconds. (On the other hand, perhaps he shouldn't be so surprised.)

All of them finished their personal training, and after all they've went through, the first thing they did when they met each other again was to scheme about how to poison people.

 _"They're talking in the same language."_

Takeo looked dazedly at those polished fingers swiftly hitting the keys in a captivating rhythm. They hit and hit, they've kept hitting that one note that released goose bumps all over Takeo's flesh. His hand involuntarily ended on his wet temple, sweeping away the sweat.

 _"I won't… I won't be able to handle this."_

"You're right on time, Takeo!" The cheerful call made him return to reality. "We have just about enough time to introduce ourselves before the leader comes back."

Takeo inhaled deeper and pulled up his guard. Constant vigilance against mental and physical attacks was slowly but certainly becoming his new default mode. The new member didn't seem interested in attacking him, but he was weird enough to be kept at a distance.

"I'm Tao. The hacker and… Well, you know, the _usual_ … enhanced human. I joined your team yesterday." Tao closed his laptop and put it away while Hammer and Shark observed. Judging by how wide his grin was, Shark particularly enjoyed this one sided conversation.

"Your score is amazing. It will come in handy on our missions." Tao was too close for Takeo's comfort, yet the taller man had no idea how to react to any of this. It was even harder for him to take part in the exchange when he couldn't look the other person in the eye.

Snickering and whispered comments about Takeo's handiness and his none-existing balls from the audience distracted him long enough for Tao to approach even closer, completely shattering the invisible wall protecting Takeo's personal space.

"Wow… Those are… Those are some eyes."

Tao was mesmerised by the sky blue, and it was this unexpectedly honest and harmless amazement that stopped Takeo from pushing the boy away. Tao propped himself on his toes and ogled him while his fingers twitched in obvious want to touch. Takeo was thankful the boy had enough self-control to _not_ do that.

"Are they real? Aren't you…?" Tao came down on his feet and just like that switched to fluent Japanese. Hearing his mother tongue left an odd sensation in Takeo, but what caught him off guard was a sudden burst of emotion in the younger man. The small smile on his face was genuine. "You're from Japan, right? Do they have blue eyes there? I never saw that in the videos. Don't they go with bright hair or something?"

"… It's an implant." Takeo almost stammered. For a second his mind was not sure in which language to answer.

"Implant…" For the first time Takeo could see the black eyes and deep circles of fatigue around them; that didn't stop them from sparkling as they realised something only Tao could understand. "An implant. They're… Is that new? There wasn't anything about machine parts in your file… You have an implant…"

"Oh my God!" Shark barked at them and Takeo couldn't help but frown. "Stop hitting on that asshole! And stop _babbling_ , especially if you're gonna do it in that piece of trash lan-"

"I speak many languages, they're all the same to me." Tao said as-a-matter-of-factly. "I can teach you, Shark. Until then, I can be your translator; we were talking about Takeo's implants, you see."

"I don't give a damn!" Shark showed his canines. "What's so good about them icicles anyway? Our Jap here must be so proud he can see like a pussy cat now."

"You're just as useful, Shark," Tao said in a comforting tone. He seriously meant it and it was far from an insult. Takeo had to take a moment to recover from a powerful kick to his chest of a long forgotten feeling. (Did he find this funny? Was he about to laugh?)

But laughter was so foreign to him in this environment. He couldn't remember the last time he felt even remotely good. (Happiness was reserved for the moments he spent with Teira. She was, in fact, the only one who _could_ make him smile, the only one to make him feel good. When he was not with her he was not in the mood, he had no energy to even try.)

The good feeling died before it could take roots and in its place lingered annoyance. Shark was being too loud. His crappy voice was bad for Takeo's thrumming head.

"Zip it, you little twerp." Shark chided and Tao shut his mouth. The way his voice died out as if someone shoved a piece of cloth in his mouth… And the way his face became flat like nothing was… wrong…

Annoying. So _annoying_.

"What's the mission?" Takeo cut in with a voice cold and sharp as ice. He was staring at the curly man as if he had dared him to speak again.

"What's the matter, princess? Can't wait to spill some blood?" Shark turned his head to the side letting his hair fall over his lips that curled into a sneer. With his eyes wide open, he challenged Takeo to repeat the threat he had sent him. "What's your dear sister gonna say about that?"

Takeo heard something cracking and then before he knew it, the rage came crushing down on him like a tide wave, flooding all his senses. His body moved on his own, and if Tao hadn't bumped into him on purpose, he would have been all over Shark.

"Whoa!" Tao was standing in Takeo's path holding onto his stomach. Takeo's sturdiness and speed was way more impressive when seen in person than on a paper. The mere impact knocked the air right out of Tao, but to his merit he wasn't struck down. "Guys- _Guys_ , the leader ordered us to wait for him."

"He didn't specify what we're not allowed to do while we wait," Shark chuckled, his knives ready for some action.

"Come on, cut it out." Tao barely managed to grab Takeo by the waist and one arm, but that turned out to be not nearly enough to stop him, so Tao released his wires. They slithered around Takeo's limbs like snakes.

When they fastened around his thighs too, Tao slumped down on the floor and became dead weight Takeo had to pull in order to move. (Suffice to say, the sniper was more confused and alarmed than enraged at the moment.)

And then he snapped.

Takeo growled and threw a vicious glare at Tao who immediately rose his hands in the air as if he wanted to reassure him he wasn't planning to use his secret weapon on him any further. (That didn't calm Takeo down in the slightest. In his upset mind, Tao was cementing his position as someone who's definitely not on his side.)

"Get this off me!"

"Sorry, Takeo, but we shouldn't risk injury before our first mission. We should just stay focused on the task." Tao attempted to mollify him by providing logic and reason. This tactic should have worked because – judging from the videos of the fights and the maze – Takeo was the most reasonable out of all DA5. However, _and_ for some reason, the sniper was having a mental breakdown. (Tao didn't have a choice but to wonder if his own behaviour was one of the triggers.)

"What's the matter, princess? Had a rough couple of nights? You've become _so_ _sensitive_!" Shark was beaming with joy, spinning his knife around the finger. "I say we ditch this motherfucker! All he's gonna do is screw us up with his fucking hypocrisy!"

"Fine!" Takeo turned sharply to Shark and roared. "I don't want to _be_ here!"

Tao was not expecting that, not in a million years.

"Oh? Did you tell that to your baby sister? Did you look at her with those eyes and told her to fuck off? Did she cry on you?"

Shark was toxic and it made Tao curious about this… sister. (She was also something that was left out of Takeo's file. He considered asking about it later when they all cooled down.)

"Shark," Hammer mumbled in a serious tone.

"Don't talk about Teira!" That was apparently the last straw for Takeo. He pushed forward dragging a surprised Tao with him. Shark disappeared into thin air and reappeared in front of the sniper, clashing each other's foreheads together.

"Whose gonna stop me?!" Dark pit met the blue ice.

"Shark." The deep voice of the DA5 leader echoed in the cube.

Tao winced and immediately got up. Hammer sighed wishing he had something to gobble on. Shark's eyes twitched and, unfortunately for him, he couldn't hide a drop of sweat strolling down his spiky nose. It vexed him mostly because Takeo's face stayed unruffled. (Maybe he truly was made of ice.)

"Whatever. Ice breaks." Shark thought to himself and then said to Takeo loud enough for only him to hear: "Saved by the bell."

"You _are_ ," Takeo hissed not braking eye contact even when Shark was removed from his vicinity.

Krantz took a couple of seconds to observe the situation and then looked at Takeo who was still held immobile by the wires.

"I believe I told you not to make a fuss." The brawny man was stoic as ever. Tao was not surprised to see the gaze of their sniper avoiding their leader's.

"Tao. Free him," said Krantz and Tao listened.

Everybody waited for the leader to continue as no one dared to speak out of turn.

"We're leaving for a mission tomorrow," Krantz announced. "Tao suggested the strategy. We talked and determent it was a fairly well organised plan of attack. Tact and stealth is a must for this mission. I expect all of you to follow the rules we established and to stick to the plan. This will be our first performance as DA5 – failure is unacceptable.

"Takeo will be briefed on the mission plan, but first, we have a request to fulfil," Krantz added while tinkering with his earpiece. "This simple assignment will also serve as a short practise sequence."

The doors of the room opened and inside entered two scientists. They were pushing a trolley on which sat a scrawny human. Its body was covered in scorch marks, it was missing a leg and an eye. There were strange masses growing on its back. A mutation went wrong. With almost no hair on its scalp, disfigured back and a frozen facial expression that depicted nothing but pain and fear, it was hard to even determine the gender of the somehow still living and breathing body.

Takeo felt his gut churn, the picture of the human in front of them being familiar. Like he had dreamt about something like this before. (Was this what they called déjà vu?) Try as he may he couldn't fit the foggy 'vision' in any drawer of his mind.

Takeo was not the only one feeling sick. Tao swallowed down his nausea and used the momentary lack of attention of others to take his laptop. He hugged it as if the computer could protect him from anything. (He was so glad a half of his face was hidden.)

Shark grimaced at the tortured body, while Hammer showed the same disinterest to it like he showed to anything else.

"Dr Aris received this specimen from Dr Crombel as a gift for wrapping up the DA5 project," Krantz said when the scientists left the room. "She gave it to me to do what I please with it. She did, however, ask me to do one thing."

Tao was startled when Krantz turned to him: "The current name of the specimen is 0718. Dr Aris wishes to know more about it."

"Oh… Ok," Tao nodded and sat down. He quickly started typing and in a few seconds he had first results. "0718 specimen. Brought under custody of Dr Crombel two years ago. Gender female, age nineteen. 0718 was part of the experiment Dr Crombel was doing on cross genetics."

"The hell is that?" Shark asked in disgust.

"He mixed the genes of animals and humans through transplantation and injections. He was also working on artificial in-breeding." Tao had a hard time speaking. His mouth was dry as sand paper.

"So what? She's a failure?" Shark asked.

"Um… It says here the experiment was terminated due to lack of progress."

"What else?" Krantz seemed uninterested in the facts Tao had found. He didn't look surprised by how twisted the findings were, either.

"Uh…" Tao tapped a little and then said: "Any further information needs higher clearance."

"So?" Krantz was cold. "Hack."

"… I'm not supposed to hack the Union database."

"I'm giving you ten minutes."

Krantz was more than serious, so Tao started immediately bringing his A-game. (He didn't want to discover what will happen if he breaks the time limit.)

* * *

For the next ten minutes, it was silent in the room. Only the restless typing and haggard breathing could be heard.

Takeo couldn't take his eyes of the girl who looked nothing like a human. Only God knew what they did to her and, once again, he couldn't understand _why_. She was younger than him, barely an adult, but there she was – now reduced to a gruesome pile of meat that was sane enough to feel pain. (Why would they show them something like this? In what universe was this considered to be a gift? Why did the info about this unfortunate soul matter?) She was destroyed beyond repair.

What was the point of it all?

"Why am I here?" A strong thought appeared in his warped mind. "What's the point?"

Takeo remembered the maze and all of the souls he condemned in it.

"Am I still in the maze?" Takeo thought with a shiver. When he opened his eyes there were the doors of the cubical room in sight. The exit was right in front of him, yet he couldn't take a single step towards freedom.

"Why? Why am I here?" His mind kept asking the same question while invisible hands wrapped around his shoulders.

"I've found something," Tao's voice broke through the silence. "Prior to being Dr Crombel's specimen, 0718 was used in another project that started three years ago. It's stated in the documents that she was shipped from China in order to be used in the experiment of super regeneration of the amputated limbs and other parts of the body."

"Ah… I remember that one," Krantz muttered with a smile. "It was a complete disaster."

"Yes. It says here the project was scraped when the failure reached 80%. Most of the… survived meat was sent to Dr Crombel."

"Heh, I guess you shouldn't throw out food," Shark snickered.

"This meat is rotten. A failure from the start," Krantz held up his chin. "Failures should be disposed of before they stink up the whole place."

"Oh? Are we gonna put it down?" Thrilled, Shark once again pulled out his weapons that glimmered under the neon.

"Before we do that, I want you to think about your future." All eyes were on Krantz. "One wrong step is enough to fall, and once you do, there will be no place for you in this organisation. Fail the mission tomorrow or any other given to you, you will be thrown away with the rest of the trash. And once you become trash, you better hope you don't get picked up by those who like to save food."

To know how effective this speech was one only needed to see Hammer sweating.

"Right now, DA5 is the only elite group operating under the Union's banner. We were all chosen for something greater because we were born special and we thrived by sacrificing everything for success. You should all be proud of by how far you've come, how far you will go. Never doubt your superiority – it is earned. Trash has no one else to blame for being trash but themselves. They, like us, had a chance and they wasted it. So… To fail is also your choice and your own fault. The judgement upon failure will also be earned. It will be righteous."

Krantz made a dramatic pause and then addressed Tao: "Anything on the specifics of Dr Crombel's latest experiment this trash was a part of?"

"U-uh…" Tao looked down at the screen. "Uh… There seems to have been a file about it but… But it was erased. I can't recover it."

Krantz frowned.

"B- But, I did find the file's name. The name of it still exists in other files as a mention. This particular experiment went by the name 'J'. There are many others that use similar principle of labelling."

"What? Dr Crombel does his shit in alphabetical order or something?" Shark was curious, while Krantz was squinting at Tao.

"Ha ha ha, you could say that. A, B, C, D… It's all there. There's even a K." He wasn't courageous enough to meet the leader's eyes.

"Tao," Krantz said strictly. "You will download all the files you've found and give them to me. Erase every trace of meddling."

"Yes, sir," Tao nodded and went back to work. He was very lucky to not have been chastised this time. He had a feeling Krantz was close to punishing him even if Tao's failure was not his fault.

Then again, their leader did say all the mistakes were on them. It was a very strange point of view, but a lot of other people say that too, so maybe it wasn't wrong. (Tao will spend many days musing on it.)

* * *

It was a heavy task to regain any level of composure after what Krantz recited to them. No matter how many times he thought Krantz was a power-hungry, insane bastard, the man would always manage to exceed all expectations previously set.

"Tao," Takeo heard him giving new orders. "You will download all the files you've found and give them to me. Erase every trace of meddling."

The girl was so weak she could only breathe and watch. Her lungs were making a horrible sound, like someone was tearing paper, as her mouth hung opened revealing her inflamed gums. She had barely any teeth left.

She existed but she wasn't able to interact with the world and she seemed in mind detached from it… Until Krantz said something. Takeo watched as she fought to focus her one eye on the boy. Her mouth closed like in a fish, her hands even moved in the hacker's direction.

The girl was reacting to the name Tao. And when she had enough of staring at his bowl cut, she separated her lips and heaved. Her voice was so weak none could hear it- Except, maybe, a super soldier with enhanced hearing.

"…a…"

Takeo followed her lips forming a single word. Repeating it again and again like it was the only thing she knew how to say. Her one eye widened, water accumulating on her dark eyelashes threatening to drip down her sad, yet… happy face.

She was bursting with emotion and no one was there to see… To care. Shark and Hammer were in their own world, often casting sidewise glances at him, Takeo being their sole source of entertainment. Krantz turned his back to the specimen, waiting for Tao to finish his job. Tao…

Tao didn't hear her.

(Does she know him? Does _he_ know her? How is that even possible? He didn't recognise her?)

 _"Are you hallucinating?_

 _"Why isn't Tao reacting? Why isn't he saying anything? She knows him. I know she knows him. That's the face… She's happy to see him… He's her… everything now… The reason she… moved…_

 _"_ … _He can't hear it… Should I say something?_

 _"Why? Why do you care? He's a jerk like the rest of them._

 _"I have to say something!_

 _"What good would that do? You'd still have to kill her._

 _"She's alive…_

 _"You're hallucinating. You just want an excuse to not do it._

 _"_ … _Do it?"_

There was a pressure on his chest and when he blinked his vision cleared up and revealed a gun pressed to his upper body. The muscular hand of their leader held a gun Takeo recognised as his own.

"You do it," Krantz said in a strange tone. When he let go of the gun, Takeo's fingers found their way around the handle without him noticing. "Kill like you did in the maze. You've demonstrated my point perfectly."

 _"All the deaths I had caused in the maze were not on me, they were on the trash… How is that right? It's nothing but arrogance._

 _"Why… Why did I do it?_

 _"Why am I here?_

 _"Teira… I did it for her…_

 _"_ … _Who…?_

 _"I did it for her. For her smile. I had to do it for her._

 _"It's alright to do it for her._

 _"It's just an excuse… It doesn't make it right. Doing something in the name of good, in the name of love, doesn't release you from the guilt. You're still doing it out of selfishness. You're selfish enough to think you and your excuse are more important than others. It's…_

 _"It's arrogance._

 _"It's all on me… It will all be on me… The poisoned people… and all the future others… They will all be on me._

 _"But she's worth it. Teira is worth it._

 _"How much is she worth? Who on Earth would be worth so much?_

 _"Her…_

 _"Who?_

 _"My sister. My only sister is worth it all._

 _"All of it? How much is that?_

 _"It doesn't matter, she's my only…!_

 _"But it does, otherwise you wouldn't be thinking about it. You wouldn't be thinking about that déjà vu and you wouldn't be still staring at that poor girl. You're looking for it, Takeo. The exit._

 _"_ … _There should be a line._

 _"Then you should just betray her._

 _"Who?_

 _"Teira. You should leave._

 _"I could never! She needs me! I can't…! I can't without her…!_

 _"Then shouldn't the line_ _ **be**_ _your Teira? It's a nice excuse, very relatable. It's ok to become a monster for her._

 _"_ … _I… don't want to…_

 _"You're a hypocrite to think you're not like the rest of these jerks._

 _"Why are you… making me…?_

 _"Because it's your choice! You have to make a_ _ **choice**_ _!_

 _"But, Teira…_

 _"You're already half there! You_ _ **can**_ _handle it! Besides, the real monster is that girl. Look at her. About the same age as Teira, yet so ugly. Everybody in their right mind would choose Teira over her. Hunter of the beasts – how's that for an excuse?_

 _"_ … _I don't need… I just need… I need Teira. They promised… And if I don't…_

 _"Then why are you wasting time thinking about all this? Don't think. You don't need brains to shoot. Just shoot. Pull the damn trigger! Shoot!_

 _"Shoot it, Takeo!_

 _" **Shoot**_ _and get over it!"_

The bullet went clean through her forehead and killed her on the spot. Takeo stood there completely still, his body going numb, he's face divested of all emotion. The ice blue eyes were staring blankly at the victim beneath his feet.

Takeo felt nothing.

* * *

Krantz stayed close, following Takeo's every move… Or lack of it.

There was that expression again. Takeo wore the same face he had in the maze right before he had gone suicidal. For a second, Krantz was worried he was going to have to knock him out again or at least try using Teira on him. Fortunately, the brat pointed the gun at the right direction and pulled the trigger like it was child's play.

He was a good shot, and Krantz could now count on him to pull the trigger for him and the team.

(Damn it, Yuri was right about Takeo having a foreboding presence.) Krantz was sure the brat had some form of internal debate about the murder, Teira or not, but to not show it at all? To not even blink?

Takeo was sucked dry of all emotion by his own volition. He was detached, yet he was 100% there. He affected others with his energy and he locked in place everyone that met his eyes as if he was aiming at them.

(That bitch was right to make those eyes blue.)

Takeo's appearance when he decides to end one's life was, simply put, _cruel_.

Krantz couldn't wait to see how it will evolve over the years.

"Good," Krantz squeezed Takeo's stiff shoulder. Then he turned around and said: " _Now_ we can discuss the mission."

"I want to see her," Takeo was tired, almost lethargic, his half-lidded eyes were gazing at the floor. His arms were lifelessly hanging off his shoulders and the gun seemed to be too heavy for him to carry; the cold-bloodedness has vanished.

The shift from one stage to another was too drastic for Krantz's taste. He hoped, in time that the two would mix, and create a true image of a soldier.

"After the mission."

There was nothing left to say.

* * *

 **Author's note part 2 – chapter 16**

I'm so sorry! It's not fluffy, I know! I'm a bad person! But they've finally met (and there was some bondage involved)! Yay?

We've reached about two thirds of this story. I have a plan to write about some of the stuff that happens to them on various missions (there has been a lot of setting up in this chapter for that mission's part of the story). There's also a lot of M-21 related stuff here. Hmm… What could that possibly mean?

In the comic Takeo is referred to as the coldest among DA5. When we first meet Takeo, he seems detached and emotionless, doing his job without any questions. He even looks bored when he has to fight. Heck, even his smile to Yuna and Shinwoo seemed fake to me (even when he mentions Teira). When we get to spend more time with the DA5 crew we also find out about the sister and about Takeo's emotional outbursts. After _that_ , I now see a tired, depressed man who has so much rage in him, yet he keeps it bottled up. People who endure and stay quiet about their emotions _explode_ for the smallest things if properly triggered. Character traits that go with this behaviour are often tolerance and kindness (all which fit Takeo).

This is why I see his depiction at the beginning so interesting. I see him as someone who had to numb himself in order to do the job. It was also a way to try to salvage his mind. And because of that misdiagnosed cold demeanour Takeo got famous as the worst of them all.

In the episode 136 Tao says: _"M-21, I thought you were a pathetic Union failure… But I started to envy you."_ Which was strange to me because it sort of came out of the blue for Tao's character. That's why in my story I gave him a bit of an ego (but not without any backup). When they first met, M-21 said Tao could easily find the files he wanted and Tao said _Correct_ while smirking. You _cannot_ tell me that was not an arrogant smirk! He _was_ a pet project, but, more importantly, being special and successful means a lot to Tao because of everything that happened to him. Hence the Krantz's speech and all that jazz.

See ya next time!


End file.
